http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2894/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

URGENT ACTION!

As you may have heard New Zealand has been obstructing the biosafety negotiations in Montreal.

It may already be too late but PLEASE, PLEASE if you possibly can e-mail the New Zealand delegates and ask them to stop acting as proxies for GM exporters and to start taking a constructive attitude.

There's a sample e-mail to send below.

Please send your comments to:

jane.coombs@mfat.govt.nz

and

sarah.wynn-williams@mfat.govt.nz

For more on what NZ's delegates have been up to in Montreal see:
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5320
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5310

Thank you for your support and please circulate this urgently to all your friends, especially any you have in New Zealand.

Jonathan Matthews
http://www.gmwatch.org


EXAMPLE MESSAGE

Second Conference of the Parties, Montreal, Canada

We ask New Zealand to:

Stop Blocking the Birth of an Effective Biosafety Regime

Please respect the serious, science-based environmental and public-health concerns that motivated the emergence of the Biodiversity Convention and the Biosafety Protocol and stop obstructing this opportunity to take the Protocol forward.

This meeting cost $1 million and, thanks to the current attitude of the New Zealand delegation, nothing of any substance looks likely to be achieved. Such a result will be not just bad for biosafety but will do serious and lasting damage to the good name of New Zealand.

We ask you as New Zealand's delegates to re-think your attitude, to stop blocking the emerging consensus around rules to implement Article 18-2(a) and to rejoin the countries that are working to build an effective biosafety regime.

This change in attitude is needed urgently.

Thank you.

Signed:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0603-06.htm

Finding Work Hard for GI's Back From War
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0603-04.htm

In the face of seemingly immutable U.S. opposition to proposals for the cancellation of debt and the tripling of aid to the poorest nations, Prime Minister Tony Blair is now considering going ahead without Washington.

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=3ef7df884ce35e2c



From Information Clearing House

China is considering the possibility of deploying a military base in Kyrgyzstan, Chinese media reported on May 31.

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/2979.asp



China, Venezuela and the U.S.A – trouble brewing:

While Bush and Cheney asked Congress to increase U.S. indebtedness with its additional $81 billion to maintain forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, China offered more than $50 billion in investment and credits to countries inside the traditional Monroe Doctrine’s shield. In November 2004, Chinese President Hu Jintao signed 39 commercial agreements with five Latin American nations. Chinese investments in Argentina alone totaled some $20 billion.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9024.htm



China and Russia will expand military and strategic presence in Central Asia – will India join?

Central Asia will eventually become flash point between China-India-Russia coalition and the West (NATO). China and Russia plan to start the deployment with Kyrgyzstan.

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/2994.asp



From Information Clearing House

Be mournful, America. We have lost yet another courageous, noble countryman to a senseless, corrupt cause. John McCain eulogized Pat Tillman at his funeral, but now that the world knows the Army lied about the details of Tillman’s death, he remains silent. Where is our Vietnam War hero when we need a champion to challenge the venality and deceit of the Bush administration?

http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/2005/06/fallen-heroes.html


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Pat+Tillman

Memo to Mainstream Media:

I have a three-word response to the media frenzy that followed revelation of the long-secret identity of Deep Throat: Downing Street Memo.

http://www.seattleweekly.com/features/0523/050608_news_geovparrish.php


From Information Clearing House


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Downing+Street+Memo
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach

Video

42-year-old Colonel Tim Collins was Britain's Iraq war poster boy. The adulation suddenly died away when Collins was accused of war crimes. He was totally cleared by a searching investigation. But when he left the army and began to speak his mind about the Iraq war and the wider war on terrorism, many in the British establishment must have wanted to strip him of his OBE.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9029.htm

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9040.htm

Cheney praises Iraq, Afghan wars: Promises "great victories to come
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/739435/

"You will be among those who lead us to victory against freedom's enemies," he said. "And you will play an historic role in the great victories to come."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9032.htm


Not a Pretty Picture
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/739378/

http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Irak-Krieg/
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Falluja/
http://omega.twoday.net/topics/Folter-++Torture/
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach

It is obvious that the occupation is attempting to build three protectorates so weak and conflicting that Iraqis will not be able to get rid of American military, political and economic control. There is no real political process in Iraq now to build a unified state respected by all Iraqis and by the world.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9033.htm

10 American and Iraqi troops stormed the family's house in Baghdad, put a hood over Mr Jedda and flew him to Shaibah, a British military base outside Basra. Eight months later he has not been charged nor seen a lawyer but he is still interned at Shaibah.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1498391,00.html


From Information Clearing House

The lawyer for nine Iraqi men who claim they were tortured by British soldiers has revealed further allegations of abuse.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9034.htm

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9035.htm


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=impeach

Looking this war in the face proves difficult when the press itself won't even put in an appearance.

Baghdad E.R. doctors examine a child who was fatally wounded in an aerial bombing attack.

Photo: David Leeson/The Dallas Morning News

"History," Hegel said, "is a slaughterhouse." And war is how the slaughter is carried out.

If we believe that the present war in Iraq is just and necessary, why do we shrink from looking at the damage it wreaks? Why does the government that ordered the war and hails it as an instrument of good then ask us to respect those who died in the cause by not describing and depicting how they died? And why, in response, have newspapers gone along with Washington and grown timid about showing photos of the killing and maiming? What kind of honor does this bestow on those who are sent to fight in the nation's name?

The Iraq war inspires these questions.

http://villagevoice.com/news/0520,schanberg,64027,6.html


Informant: Charles Bremer

This is for those of us that were at the NEC meeting with the NRPB, remember how the NRPB held an extraordinary meeting in the corridor, and then made threats to Maureen over her cluster map, telling her she could not show it to anyone.


Best Phil Watts


CAMPAIGNING GRAN'S POWER LINE DEMAND

RICHARD AULT

12:00 - 03 June 2005

A Campaigner who has led a national fight against high voltage power cables is demanding action after a study revealed children born near overhead lines are 70 per cent more likely to get cancer. A long-awaited survey published today in the British Medical Journal (BJM) reveals children born within 200m of power lines run a much higher risk of suffering leukaemia than those who live more than 600m away.

Now campaigner Maureen Asbury, from Trentham, is calling on Prime Minister Tony Blair to introduce new planning guidelines forbidding new homes and schools from being built near to power lines, and the phasing out of existing lines in residential zones.

Mrs Asbury is president of the Trentham Environmental Action Campaign, which has led the national fight against power cables for the past eight-years.

She says she is too frightened to let her two grandchildren, George, aged 10, and Maisie, aged five, stay at her home in Earlsbrook Drive, which is directly beneath a power line.

Mrs Asbury, aged 64, said: "This is just the tip of the iceberg, we could be talking about many more cases. This is what we have been telling the Government for years.

"We conducted our own survey in Trentham with the help of Staffordshire University.

"We found excess depression, headaches, even five suicides which this community has experienced were people living near to power lines.

"The most startling was that we found there had been 11 miscarriages within 25m of the power lines and just one further away than 150m.

"How long is this Government going to bury its head in the sand and pretend there isn't a problem?"

The study by the Oxford-based Childhood Cancer Research Group was originally due to be released last year.

Dr Gerald Draper and his team analysed and compared 33 years of data, which covered 29,000 children with cancer, including 9,700 with leukaemia, who were compared with an individually matched control group.

Mrs Asbury has welcomed the findings, saying they confirm longstanding concerns over high-voltage cables and their possible link to childhood leukaemia.

"The first thing the Government should do is legislate so homes are built well beyond 100 metres from these power lines in future," she said.

"Then they should phase out the existing lines."

The report published in today's BMJ stated: "Children living close to high voltage overhead power lines at birth may be at an increased risk of leukaemia."

It added: "But the authors emphasise that these results may be due to chance and further research is needed to find out whether there really is a link."

The report claimed about five of the 400 to 420 cases of childhood leukaemia that occur annually in England and Wales may be associated with power lines.

No excess risk was found for other childhood cancers.

richard.ault@thesentinel.co.uk

http://www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=158588&command=displayContent&sourceNode=158336&home=yes&contentPK=12572715#



http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&q=Dr.+Gerald+Draper&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Leukaemia
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Draper

"MON 810": Bundes-Verbraucherschutzverband fordert generelles Verbot von Genmaissorte (03.06.05)

Der Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband begrüßte am Freitag die Entscheidung des Bundessortenamtes, den Anbau von Genmais-Sorten auf Grundlage des Typs MON 810 wegen rechtlicher Bedenken vorerst nicht zuzulassen. Selbst wenn die rechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen erfüllt wären, "gehören diese Sorten nicht in die Umwelt", sagte Edda Müller, Vorstand des Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverbandes(vzbv). Wegen seiner negativen Auswirkungen auf das Ökosystem stünden Nutzen und Risiken in keinem vertretbaren Verhältnis, so Edda Müller. Der vzbv fordere daher ein generelles Verbot für diese Sorten.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11185

Bundesbeauftragter für Datenschutz wird Beauftragter für Informationsfreiheit (03.06.05)

Der Deutsche Bundestag hat heute das Gesetz zur Regelung des Zugangs zu Informationen des Bundes verabschiedet. Dies meldet am Freitag die Pressestelle des Bundesbeauftragten für den Datenschutz. Mit dem sogenannten Informationsfreiheitsgesetz erhielten die Bürgerinnen und Bürger die Möglichkeit, Akten der Bundesverwaltung einzusehen und bei Bundesbehörden vorliegende Informationen abzufragen. Mit diesem Gesetz werde dem Bundesbeauftragten für den Datenschutz zugleich auch die Aufgabe eines Bundesbeauftragten für die Informationsfreiheit übertragen. Den Bundesbeauftragten könne jeder anrufen, der sein Recht auf Informationszugang nach dem neuen Gesetz verletzt sieht.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11184

Gewaltfrei und ungehorsam: Nur halb so viele Atomtransporte seit 2001 dank Anti-Atom-Bewegung (03.06.05)

267 Castor-Behälter wurden laut Bundesumweltministerium seit dem Atomkonsens 2001 zur Wiederaufbereitung nach Sellafield und La Hague transportiert. 500 Stück hätten jedoch laut der Vereinbarung zwischen der Bundesreregierung und der Atomwirtschaft transportiert werden dürfen. Darauf wies die Anti-Atom-Initiative "X-tausendmal quer" am Freitag hin. Sie schrieb, diese nahezu-Halbierung verbuche die Anti-Atom-Bewegung als ihren Erfolg.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11183

Samstag, 4. Juni 2005

Wirbel um Studie: Hochspannung erhöht Leukämierisiko

London (dpa) - Eine Untersuchung eines möglichen Leukämierisikos für Kinder in der Nähe von Hochspannungsleitungen hat am Freitag für Wirbel in den britischen Medien gesorgt. Forscher um Gerald Draper von der Universität Oxford hatten in Großbritannien 64 Fälle von Leukämie bei Kindern gezählt, die zum Zeitpunkt ihrer Geburt näher als 200 Meter an einer Freileitung gemeldet waren. In einer entsprechenden Kontrollgruppe lebten 39 Kinder innerhalb derselben Distanz zu Hochspannungsleitungen. Die Forscher selbst räumen im Fachblatt «British Medical Journal» (Bd. 330, S. 1290) ein, dass dieser «Überschuss» von Leukämiefällen rein zufälliger Natur sein könnte. Es gebe «keine befriedigende Erklärung für die Ergebnisse im Hinblick auf magnetische Felder als Ursache», und die Befunde würden auch «nicht durch überzeugende Labordaten oder irgendeinen allgemein akzeptierten biologischen Mechanismus gestützt», schreiben sie. Die genauen Auslöser von Leukämien im Kindesalter sind nicht umfassend geklärt. Man sei sich heute jedoch einigermaßen sicher, dass oft Erbgutschäden vor der Geburt beteiligt seien, die wahrscheinlich mit Infektionen, Chemikalien, ionisierender Strahlung oder anderen Umwelteinflüssen zusammenhingen, kommentiert Heather O Dickinson von der Universität Newcastle in dem Fachjournal (S. 1279).

© Copyright 1998-2003 NetDoktor.de - All rights reserved

http://www2.netdoktor.de/nachrichten/index.asp?y=2005&m=6&d=4&id=119259

--------

HLV INFO 83/AT

4-06-2005

Studie: Leukämierisiko unter Hochspannungsleitungen höher
http://www.wissenschaft.de/wissen/news/253826.html

--------

http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Leukaemia
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Draper
http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&q=Dr.+Gerald+Draper&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=

Feeling the hate with the National Religious Broadcasters
Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005.
Originally from May 2005. By Chris Hedges.

Since the reelection of George W. Bush in November, the rhetoric on the Christian right has grown triumphal and proud; rumors of spiritual war are abroad in the heartland, and fervent whispers of revolution echo among the pews and folding chairs of the nation’s megachurches. I have traveled to Anaheim, California, to observe the rising power of the evangelical political movement at first hand. Orange County, along with Colorado Springs, is a center of the new militant Christianity, and it is here, among friends, that the National Religious Broadcasters association—which brings together some 1,600 Christian radio and television broadcasters, who claim to reach up to 141 million listeners and viewers—is holding its annual convention. [...] Read it all at Harpers: http://harpers.org/FeelingTheHate.html


© Virginia Metze

Reid: Bush still a liar
The Raw Story

In an upcoming interview with Rolling Stone, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) re-asserts his reputation as an outspoken critic of the his political rivals.

In the interview, Reid claims that, "The nuclear option is history," whether Democrats filibuster or not. He goes on to explain that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist was unable to take part in the compromise because he is, "Driven by ... right wing zealots". [...] Read more at: http://www.rawstory.com/exclusives/reid_060105.htm Note: I was unable to find the date on this story but it must be there somewhere!


© Virginia Metze

Its London bureau chief blurts out the political slant that dare not speak its name.

By Timothy Noah
Slate Chatterbox column
Posted Tuesday, May 31, 2005, at 9:40 AM PT

Sound the klaxons! Corporate Message breakdown at Fox News! This is not a drill. Repeat: This is not a drill. Assume battle stations! Fire in the hole! A-woo-ga! A-woo-ga!

The usually disciplined foot soldiers at Fox News have long maintained that their news organization is not biased in favor of conservatism. This charade is so important to Fox News that the company has actually sought to trademark the phrase "fair and balanced" (which is a bit like Richard Nixon trademarking the phrase "not a crook"). No fair-minded person actually believes that Fox News is unbiased, so pretending that it is calls for steely corporate resolve. On occasion, this vigilance pays off. Last year, for example, the Wall Street Journal actually ran a correction after its news pages described Fox News, accurately, as "a network sympathetic to the Bush cause and popular with Republicans." Getting one of this country's most prestigious newspapers to state that up is down and black is white is no small public-relations victory, and if we can't admire Fox News' candor, we can at least marvel at its ability to remain on message. Or rather, we could admire it, before Scott Norvell went and shot his big mouth off.

Norvell is London bureau chief for Fox News, and on May 20 he let the mask slip in, of all places, the Wall Street Journal. So far, the damage has been contained, because Norvell's comments—in an op-ed he wrote decrying left-wing bias at the BBC—appeared only in the Journal's European edition. But Chatterbox's agents are everywhere. [...] Read what Novell said at Slate website Chatterbox column: http://slate.com/id/2119864



Water Remains Wet
By William Rivers Pitt
t r u t h o u t | Perspective
Wednesday 01 June 2005

The sky is up. Water is wet. Fox News is biased towards the Republican party. These are the axioms that define reality in our world. The first two do not get challenged all that much, but the third - the Fox news bias - has been the subject of various and sundry arguments and excuses from those for whom that network happily carries all that wet water.

They are fair and balanced, right? They say so, anyway. Never mind that O'Reilly, Hannity, Gibson and the rest of them expend prodigious amounts of energy and lip-spittle flaying anything and everything that is not marching in lock-step with The Anointed One in the Oval. Sure, they've got Colmes on the Left, who on most days does a fair impersonation of the littlest puppy in the litter, the one who can't quite get to the milk. Aside from him, however, the voices you hear from that network are raised in gravel-voiced unison with whatever happens to be spilling from the White House press office. [...] Read the rest of Pitt's article about the Murdoch empire at Truthout site: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/060105Y.shtml


© Virginia Metze

Flash

By Bernard Weiner and Ernest Partridge
Co-Editors, The Crisis Papers
May 31, 2005

(Associated Press, Nov. 8, 2006) The Democrats didn't waste any time after their landslide victory in Tuesday's midterm election that put them in charge, with huge margins in both the House and Senate.

The incoming Democratic chairs of the various investigatory committees announced that subpoenas would be going out immediately to the White House for all documents relating to when and how the decision to attack Iraq was made; to how far up the chain of command the authorization for torture went; and whether Bush and Cheney and/or their subordinates lied to the Congress and the American People. Congressional committees also will be on the lookout for evidence of Administration involvement in war crimes, bribery and election fraud, Democratic officials said.

It is expected that bills of impeachment will be filed shortly thereafter against both President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.
If both Bush and Cheney are removed from office, the new Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, would become the President, as stipulated in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947; she would nominate a Vice President for approval by the Senate. [...] Read the whole article in the Crisis Papers, including their little postscript at the end ... http://www.crisispapers.org/essays-w/impeachment.htm


© Virginia Metze

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2134/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.prospect.org/web/view-web.ww?id=9816


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.libertyforall.net/2005/june14/NeoCons.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0602-24.htm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/GF03Ak01.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.commondreams.org/cgi-bin/print.cgi?file=/views05/0528-27.htm


Informant: Hopedance


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Galloway

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7460


Informant: Sylvie


http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Leukaemia
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Draper

I think it was me who reported on France, glad to hear things haven't changed. We have friends who have settled in Normandy. They say, that although workmen, estate agents etc, will all use mobiles that French culture is still about face-to-face communication and that the French like to mull things over and really talk whereas so often mobile conversations here are the inane and unnecessary. The French are v. high-tech though and I seem to remember seeing some horror story about an English family who moved to France and then had a mobile go up on a nearby water tower and they were given short shrift when they tried to object.

We are having a full-scale battle here in Oxford about a mast on a church tower. Last weekend we got on the local radio and tv stations and even on the national BBC news website. We have collected 600 signatures on a petition and many people have written to the diocese to object. We are now holding our breath to hear the response of the diocesan authorities. If they give the go-ahead some people are muttering about sabotage so there's plenty of will. Our councillors also rejected a T-mobile mast on the basis that the company had changed application details at the last moment and had not given sufficient evidence that they had looked at sharing another nearby mast. At the council meeting the planning officer was waving emissions maps, not something I have heard of before. The councillors rubbished his inability to explain them. I expect this is only a temporary halt to the mast but good news anyway.

Ann

America was often described by former president Ronald Reagan as the "shining city on the hill" and a beacon of hope to the world. Others talked about American "exceptionalism" - that is, the uniqueness of the country for its unfaltering commitment to uphold human dignity worldwide. That shining city and that exceptional force, under the simplistic slogan of the "war on terrorism", have now created their own gulags: Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay prison on the island of Cuba.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3443

The United States, which stood prior to 9/11 as the defender of human rights, is now as guilty of violating human rights as any of the authoritarian regimes it repudiates.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3442

Experts say traumatic brain injury (TBI) has surfaced as the staple injury among American soldiers in the Iraq War. As the U.S. has recently reached the anniversary of its second year engaged in combat, soldiers are increasingly suffering from mild to severe TBI, usually as the result of an explosion and/or a military vehicle accident.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3440

The U.S. military keeps a meticulous tally of its wounded -- 12,762 in Iraq as of Wednesday, along with 1,658 dead. Scenes of soldiers convalescing at well-equipped hospitals such as Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center are familiar symbols of the human cost of the war. But more than two years after the U.S.-led invasion, there is little available data on the far greater number of Iraqi civilians wounded in the invasion and subsequent violence related to the insurgency. And few of the victims' stories have been widely reported.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3436

Rarely in the more than 30 years since the draft was abolished has the Selective Service triggered such angst. Two years into the Iraq war, concern that the draft will be reinstated to supplement an overextended military persists -- no matter how often, or emphatically, President Bush and members of Congress say it won't.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3435

Without significant policy changes made by the Iraqi and U.S. governments, the transition of Iraq to a stable democracy faces increased risk of failure, according to a new report issued by Veterans for Common Sense, a nonpartisan veterans' organization with over 12,000 members who have served in every U.S. conflict since 1941.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3433

Q&A: power lines and cancer
http://society.guardian.co.uk/cancer/story/0,8150,1498797,00.html

Draper study on powerlines and childhood leukaemia now available
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/738903/

Electricity and Leukaemia
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/738893/

Large study links power lines to childhood cancer
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/738984/

Friday June 03rd 2005, 8:17 pm

Filed under: Power line news, Epidemiology, 50/60 Hz

The long awaited UK Draper study has finally been published in the British Medical Journal, confirming, yet again, the connection between environmental level powerline magnetic fields and childhood leukaemia.

How much more evidence do we need to protect public health?

With the current public concerns being expressed in New Zealand and Canada (previous message) over powerlines and health, how will ICNIRP’s BPIEs explain this one away?

I wonder how the current ARPANSA powerline standards working committee will deal with it. As I mentioned previously ARPANSA fully intends to accept as a “health based standard” ICNIRP’s 1000 mG exposure level.

Stay Tuned for more on this one….

Don

As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald:

Power lines and leukemia: study highlights risk to babies

By Julie Robotham, Medical Editor
June 3, 2005 - 10:29AM

Babies who live near high-voltage power lines are almost twice as likely as others to develop leukemia during childhood, according to the largest study ever to be conducted into the long-standing question.

But despite detailed analysis of more then 9000 childhood cases of leukemia over three decades, the Oxford University scientists who led the research say there is still insufficient evidence to establish with any certainty whether the magnetic fields around the cables actually cause some cases of the cancer.

Gerald Draper, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the university’s Childhood Cancer Research Group, identified the birth records of children born between 1962 and 1995 who later developed cancer, and mapped the addresses listed on the children’s birth certificates against the national electricity grid in England and Wales.

The same was done for a control group of children who did not have cancer - each matched to one of the cancer patients for date of birth, sex and birth registration district.

Draper found the 9700 children with leukemia - the most common childhood cancer - were 70 per cent more likely than the others to have lived within 200 metres of a high voltage powerline. The link grew weaker the further away from power lines children lived.

Among the 20,000 children who developed cancers other than leukemia, there was no extra likelihood of having lived near overhead cables.

Despite the findings, Dr Draper was reluctant to suggest power lines might cause leukemia.

Magnetic fields from power lines were “the most obvious explanation”. But at a distance of 200 metres, these forces were typically lower than other sources of magnetism within the home, such as household electrical wiring and applicances, he said.

“We have no satisfactory explanation for our results in terms of causation, and the findings are not supported by convincing laboratory data or any accepted biological mechanism,” Dr Draper wrote in the British Medical Journal.

Brad Page, chief of the Energy Supply Association of Australia, said Australia uses the same 400, 275 and 132 kilovolt transmission cables considered in the UK research, but it was unclear whether similar proportions of Australian children lived near them.

“People should not place themselves in unreasonable proximity to these things,” Mr Page said.
More information: http://bmj.bmjjournals.com

From the British Medical Journal:

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7503/1290?ehom#TBL1

Childhood cancer in relation to distance from high voltage power lines in England and Wales: a case-control study

Gerald Draper, honorary senior research fellow1, Tim Vincent, research officer1, Mary E Kroll, statistician1, John Swanson, scientific adviser2

1 Childhood Cancer Research Group, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6HJ, 2 National Grid Transco plc, London WC2N 5EH

BMJ 2005;330:1290 (4 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7503.1290

Correspondence to: G J Draper gerald.draper@ccrg.ox.ac.uk

Abstract

Objective To determine whether there is an association between distance of home address at birth from high voltage power lines and the incidence of leukaemia and other cancers in children in England and Wales.

Design Case-control study.

Setting Cancer registry and National Grid records.

Subjects Records of 29 081 children with cancer, including 9700 with leukaemia. Children were aged 0-14 years and born in England and Wales, 1962-95. Controls were individually matched for sex, approximate date of birth, and birth registration district. No active participation was required.

Main outcome measures Distance from home address at birth to the nearest high voltage overhead power line in existence at the time.

Results Compared with those who lived > 600 m from a line at birth, children who lived within 200 m had a relative risk of leukaemia of 1.69 (95% confidence interval 1.13 to 2.53); those born between 200 and 600 m had a relative risk of 1.23 (1.02 to 1.49). There was a significant (P < 0.01) trend in risk in relation to the reciprocal of distance from the line. No excess risk in relation to proximity to lines was found for other childhood cancers.

Conclusions There is an association between childhood leukaemia and proximity of home address at birth to high voltage power lines, and the apparent risk extends to a greater distance than would have been expected from previous studies. About 4% of children in England and Wales live within 600 m of high voltage lines at birth. If the association is causal, about 1% of childhood leukaemia in England and Wales would be attributable to these lines, though this estimate has considerable statistical uncertainty. There is no accepted biological mechanism to explain the epidemiological results; indeed, the relation may be due to chance or confounding.

Download the full paper at:

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7503/1290?ehom#TBL1


Source: http://www.emfacts.com/weblog/index.php?p=69

In the light of the Draper report please don't forget to let people know about the excellent Children With Leukemia Conference last year - the website is http://www.leukaemiaconference.org/ . It lists the speakers and Day 3 had lectures on non-ionosing radiation. Also poster presentations. This charity is interested in the causes of leukemia.

Yasmin Skelt, Chorleywood, England


I would like to point out that there were presentations relating to non-ionising radiation every day in some form or another, and that the Friday presentations were relating to the Precautionary Principle (or lack of it), notable speakers Don Maisch and Cindy Sage.

Another snippet I would like everyone to be aware of is the fact that although 02 constantly churn out claptrap about Alan Preece, among others, supporting the view that Masts are not harmful, this is not so.

In fact, Alan Preece was at the Leukemia Conference, and that was where he revealed that he had been involved in a campaign to stop a mast near his grand-daughter's school! It was also Alan Preece who told Eileen O that as far as he was concerned, there is no threshold when it comes to the effect of non-ionising radiation - in other words, it's lethal whatever the dose!

So if anyone receives anything from 02 citing Alan Preece, please be sure to put them right!

Amanda

--------

Mobile phones are emphatically not safe
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/476725/



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=non-ionising
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=electricity
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=precaution
http://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&q=Dr.+Gerald+Draper&btnG=Google-Suche&meta=
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=leukemia
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Draper
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Alan+Preece
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Cindy+Sage

Pendle Today

RESIDENTS have accused mobile phone companies of putting profit before health and trying to divide communities on the issue of phone masts.

Pendle Residents against Insensitive Siting of Masts (PRISM) vowed to fight proposals to erect a transmitter on Hibson Road , Nelson, during a public meeting at Nelson Town Hall on Tuesday.
Vodafone has applied for permission to site the unit at the El Tropicano club.

Deputy mayor of Pendle, Coun. George Adam, who chaired the meeting, said: "To apply for this mast to be sited right in the middle of a residential area and very close to local schools is outrageous. But we can stop it, and the fight starts here."

College science lecturer, Mr Gary Bird, who set up PRISM with chairman Colin Hornby, said the main reason for the new mast is to provide a service to users of "third generation technology" (3G).
Mr Bird said the government has given operators until 2007 to roll out 80 per cent of the 3G network, with penalties to be paid if the target is not met.

He said: "This technology is being forced upon us where there is little or no demand for it. Profit is being put before health for the sake of what are basically big boys' toys."

Mr Bird called on the people of Pendle to unite and stand up to big companies.

He said: "This sort of thing divides communities and puts people at odds with eachother. Companies propose a site in one ward, like Vodafone did with Walverden, then move onto the next when it is refused. If it goes ahead in another area then people living nearby will be unhappy with residents in the other wards who fought it off."
The plans, which have been recommended for approval by council planning officers, will be discussed by Pendle Council's Nelson Committee on Monday.

Members of PRISM will collect signatures on a petition outside the schools near the proposed site, and will present it to the committee that evening.

Miss Jackie Nike, who protested over another mast site in Barrowford, said: "I spoke to two headteachers about it. One didn't want to get involved, and the other was horrified but did nothing to stop it. I would urge mums and dads, aunties and uncles to go to schools, let them know you are worried and get them involved."
One local doctor said all humans are susceptible to electro-magnetic fields and pulsed microwave signals used by the units. He said: "They can act as a trigger for people with low immune systems. Children and pregnant women are particularly at risk, and it is ridiculous that companies can even think of putting masts near schools."

Councillors will decide on Monday whether to give the go ahead for the base station to be erected.

Vodafone would have the right to appeal if the committee votes against the officer's recommendation and refuses permission.
david.pollard@eastlancsnews.co.uk

03 June 2005

by John Sorrie - john.sorrie@inverurieherald.com

AN application for the siting of a mobile phone mast at Burghmuir Place, Inverurie by O2 (UK) Ltd was refused by Garioch Councillors at their meeting on Tuesday (May 31).

The application was previously before the Garioch Area Committee on Tuesday, April 19 but a decision was deferred to allow discussion to take place between planners and the applicant to look at an alternative site away from residential areas.

Ten further sites were considered and planners expressed a preference for one of these sites. However, O2 assessed the options and found that none were suitable.

The application submitted was to provide O2 3G mobile phone coverage in the northern part of Inverurie. The proposed mast would have been 17.5 metres high — approximately 52.5 feet — with six antennas and two transmission dishes. Two equipment cabins would have been within the mast site.

A number of objections from members of the public were received mainly focusing on the possible health issues related to mobile phone masts. Many objectors felt that the mast site was too close to residential areas and was also close to a public park. It was also suggested that there are many wide open spaces in the area where the mast could be situated. The proposal also met with opposition from Inverurie Community Council.

In a letter to the committee, one Nether Blackhall resident said: “According to European Legislation of March 10 1999 ‘People should be protected from potentially harmful long term effects of electromagnetic fields generated by these transmitters’.”
Provost Raymond Bisset commented: “This is a very difficult situation — would we, for example, be happy to have a mast on top of Gordon House? It would probably be a very suitable location. I think we need to look to see if there are other masts in the area and if we can combine them in one location.”

On the issue of public health, Newmachar and Fintray councillor Martin Ford commented that the matter before the committee was a planning one and that it was not up to the committee to debate public health.

He referred to the report before the committee which said: “The Scottish Executive has concluded that it is not necessary for planning authorities to treat radio frequency emissions as a material consideration in dealing with planning applications for radio masts.
“National Planning Policy Guidelines emphasise there is no need for planning authorities to consider power outputs [of radio transmitters] in determining planning applications, since it is clearly the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and the UK government to decide on what measures are required to protect public health from potential radiation hazards.”

Inverurie North councillor Michael Raeburn added: “It is my choice to carry a mobile phone. If we allow the mast in this site we have given local residents no choice.”

The application was recommended for approval by planners but the committee went to the vote. The decision was taken to refuse the application on the basis that other alternative sites exist.

Wakefield news

RESIDENTS are kicking up a storm about a football club's plan to site a mobile phone mast close to an infant school.

Anger about the T-Mobile mast proposed by Ossett Albion FC at its Dimplewells Road site is so strong that locals have formed a pressure group to fight the plans.

Ossett Residents Against Mobile Masts hope to present a petition of 500 signatures to the planning department to stop the mast, which, if erected, would be 200 metres from Dimple Well Infant School .

Group member Claire Wilby, of Dimple Gardens , said: “Local residents are not happy about this. We don’t want it so close to a school or to our homes.

“The government doesn’t know if there are risks involved with these masts and if they can’t rule out dangers, how do we know if the children are going to be safe?”

So far, the group has collected around 200 names. Claire said: “We are not going to give up, even if this plan is prevented. The company will just apply somewhere else and no-one should have to live in the shadow of one of these things.”

Stuart Garside, vice chairman of the club, based at Ossett Cricket and Athletic Club, said the safe positioning of the mast had always been a priority.

He said: “T-Mobile wanted to put the mast near the entrance of the cricket club grounds but I said no because I wanted it to be as far away as possible from the school and any houses.

“People who object to the siting of masts will almost certainly have a mobile phone of their own. They would not be able to use them if there were no masts.

“We are not doing this to antagonise people, we are doing it to help keep the club afloat.”

03 June 2005

Tenby Today

Members of Tenby Town Council have deferred making a decision on the proposed siting of a temporary telecommunications mast on Caldey Island . At Tuesday night’s meeting, councillors elected to take into account the views of residents on the island, before giving their recommendation to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. However, in a twist to the proposed planning application, the applicant for the mast, Airwave O2 Ltd. has revealed that they have already scrapped plans for the mast’s installation on the island, claiming that any application put through must be due to an ‘an administrative error’. According to the National Park planning authority though, Airwave O2 Ltd. has not yet withdrawn the application which as it stands will be considered at the next meeting the development management committee on Wednesday, June 15. The application for the temporary mast on Caldey Island is for installation for a period no greater than 12-months, with a proposed permanent site share intended at the existing NTL telecommunication installation at The Ridgeway. When discussing the application at Tuesday’s meeting, councillors decided to the defer their decision until the residents of Caldey Island had given their views. “I think we should wait until we hear the thoughts of the people of Caldey Island on the application before making a decision, as we are really hear as a council to represent their views on this matter,” said Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas.

Chichester Observer

Plans for a mobile phone mast on the edge of Oaklands Park , Chichester, have run into strong opposition from city councillors, concerned about the impact on the historic city conservation area.

A final decision on the Airwave 02 proposals will be taken by the district council, and the city's planning and conservation committee is calling for them to be thrown out.

The scheme has also already provoked protests from some nearby residents.

Planning permission is being sought to build the 22.5m mast at Chichester Lawn Tennis and Squash Club, in Oaklands Way.

Full report in the June 2 issue of the Chichester Observer

PLANS to erect a 45ft-tall telephone mast at the TA centre in Dedridge, West Lothian , have been thrown out by a council sub-committee.

Councillor Lawrence Fitzpatrick told the committee that emissions from the mast would fall on the grounds of the adjacent James Young High School .

The committee rejected Vodafone's plea that the greatest concentration from the mast would not fall on the school.
Committee convener Alex Davidson said: "A cautionary approach is very important."

California residents, thank Governor Schwarzengger for his support of California's wild legacy.

http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/ctt.asp?u=83527&l=95131

Despite WWF activists sending nearly 70,000 messages to the U.S. Congress this year, the risk of oil drilling in the Arctic Refuge increased this spring when Congress passed a budget resolution that calls for generating $2.4 billion in new revenues. The bill gives drilling proponents an opening to propose energy development in the refuge as the way to generate the new money. As a result, key House and Senate committees are expected to approve drilling in this special place. Language specifically authorizing drilling would need to be included in a budget reconciliation bill and approved by Congress, so we'll have another chance later this year to stop development of the refuge when Congress votes on the reconciliation bill. U.S. activists, tell Congress not to allow drilling in the refuge.

http://takeaction.worldwildlife.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=24456

Farnham Today 03/06/05

JEREMY Hunt is calling on telephone company Orange to withdraw its proposals for a mast near Bourne Infant School . The MP for South West Surrey met with officials from Orange at the House of Commons on Tuesday to discuss their plans for a mast on Frensham Road . “I don’t like any of the masts they are proposing but the one near the school is a particular cause of concern,” said Mr Hunt. “What we have said to them is we would like them to withdraw their proposal for that particular mast. Their response is that they would give it careful consideration. But they didn’t say they would and that is why I am cautious. I would like to see the colour of their money,” he said. Niki Bradshaw, campaign co-ordinator for the Bourne School masts action group, was also in attendance at the meeting. She said: “I was reasonably happy about the meeting. We were pushing the point that they have to consult with us in the true sense of consultation as opposed to a public relations whitewash.” “The one good thing to come out of the meeting is that they have committed to reassess all of the sites and that they are going to take notice of the sensibilities of the school site,” she added. A spokesman for Orange denied the accusation that they had failed to consult with the local community about their plans for the mast. “It has been mentioned by various campaign groups that Orange has failed to consult with the Bourne School over its plans to erect a mast on the Frensham Road. “I can confirm that should Orange decide to proceed with this proposal we have every intention of consulting fully with the school. “The reason this was not done initially is because these proposals were simply outline plans and no formal plans have been submitted. “The drop in session was a pre-consultation exercise and was designed for us to get some feedback before we began full consultation.”

http://www.rense.com/general65/tech.htm


Informant: Anna Webb

by Jason Leopold

Tuesday's revelation that W. Mark Felt, the former number two man at the FBI, was the anonymous source known as Deep Throat, who helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein unravel the Watergate scandal in the pages of the Washington Post 30 years ago, should be seen as an important reminder that even the leader of the free world can be devious, corrupt and dishonest. . . . The sad reality these days, however, is that it takes a scandal such as a president receiving oral sex in the Oval Office by an intern to qualify for above the fold headlines and impeachment. Leading the country into a war under false pretenses? Sorry, not juicy enough. The Downing Street memo that was unearthed by the Times of London last month should have been the smoking gun that finally resulted in Bush being brought up on High Crimes and Misdemeanor charges under the United States Constitution's impeachment clause...

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/June05/Leopold0602.htm

by Evelyn J. Pringle

On Feb 9, 2004, the National Autism Association issued a press release that reported on one of the larger studies under review based on the Center for Disease Control's Vaccine Safety Datalink. The Association reports that independent investigation of CDC data revealed children were 27 times more likely to develop autism after exposure to three thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs), than those who receive thimerosal-free versions. Let that sink in. 27 times more likely to develop autism. Then consider that our government regulatory agencies had this information for years and deliberately kept it hidden from the public. This failure to warn the public was not due to negligence or laziness, it was a deliberate cover-up and it continues today. . . . In order to enroll in public schools and day care, children must comply with mandatory vaccine schedule, which includes vaccines that have not undergone the scientific testing necessary to guarantee their safety, and have the potential to harm millions of children...

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/June05/Pringle0602.htm

Amnesty International Fallout
Reality Check: Who to Believe on the Iraq War and
US Treatment of Prisoners?
by Kevin Zeese

President Bush called a report by Amnesty International “absurd” for its charge that the United States is mistreating terrorist suspects in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying accusations were being made by “people who hate America.” At a Rose Garden press conference on May 31 the president exclaimed: “It's absurd. It's an absurd allegation. We've investigated every single complaint against the detainees. It seemed like to me they based some of their decisions on the word of -- and the allegations -- by people who were held in detention, people who hate America...” President Bush's comments were echoed by senior members of the administration who all lined up to blast the report in a thou-doth-protest-too-much coordinated attack on Amnesty. What was the administration so defensive about?

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/June05/Zeese0602.htm

von DIETER WOLF

BRÜHL.„Die Verbrauchzentrale in Brühl muss es weiterhin geben.“ Bürgermeister Michael Kreuzberg bekennt sich zu dem teuren Angebot für die Bürger und gibt trotz der enger werdenden Finanzdecke zu bedenken: „Die Institution hilft, gesellschaftliches Unheil abzuwenden.“ Brühl besitzt eine von 50 Beratungsstellen in NRW.

Auf etwa 200 000 Euro belaufen sich die jährlichen Kosten, die anteilig von Land, Kreis und Stadt getragen werden. Bis 2007 ist die Beratungsstelle sicher, betont Kreuzberg. Gestern übergab Simone Arndt von der Beratungsstelle den Jahresbericht der Einrichtung an den Bürgermeister.

13 000 Gespräche in einem Jahr

Fast 13 000 Gespräche wurden in Brühl im vergangenen Jahr mit hilfesuchenden Bürgern geführt. Bei Mietrechtsfragen, Problemen mit dem Unterlaufen von Produktgarantien bis hin zur Müllvermeidung, immer suchen die Bürger Rat und Hilfe. Geradezu boomend sind Probleme mit Telekommunikation und Unterhaltungselektronik.

Bemerkenswert sind die Kostenfallen bei Handygebühren und PC-Surfing. „Wir hatten hier einen Schalke-04-Fan, der sich etwas Besonders gönnen wollte. Er buchte einen SMS-Service, der ihn über alles Wissenswerte seines Vereins unterrichten sollte. In kürzester Zeit belief sich die Rechnung auf 1500 Euro, weil er pausenlos mit sinnlosen Nachrichten versorgt wurde“, so Simone Arndt.

Besonders Jugendliche müssen den bizarren Vertragsdschungel bei Handy-Klingeltönen ausbaden. Weniger als vier Sekunden wird das „Kleingedruckte“ bei TV-Werbespots eingeblendet. Auch hier weiß die Verbraucherberatung Rat. Für 22 Euro beraten Rechtsanwälte fachkundig. Die gleichermaßen fachkundige Rechtsberatung durch eine Nichtjuristin kostet gar nur sechs Euro. Eine verschwindend geringe Summe gemessen an dem Ärger und den Kosten beispielsweise bei Garantieproblemen.

Simone Arndt bestätigt, dass sich große Elektrokaufhäuser zunehmend aus ihren gesetzlich vorgeschriebenen Garantieverpflichtungen stehlen. Die Unternehmen reklamieren neuerdings Reparaturkosten trotz zweijähriger Garantieverpflichtung oder stellen dem Kunden die bisherige Nutzung des Gerätes in Rechnung. Aber auch hier weiß man Rat. „Wir werden in Kürze einen Musterprozess führen. Dann hat dies hoffentlich ein Ende“, hofft Simone Arndt.

(KR)

http://www.rundschau-online.de/kr/KrCachedContentServer?ksArtikel.id=1117544131310&listID=1038816879920&openMenu=1038942868191&calledPageId=1038816879354


Nachricht von der BI Bad Dürkheim

Mobilfunk: Bürgermeister, FDP, Grüne Seit` an Seit`

VON MAGNUS REITINGER Weilheim-Schongau - Ihnen fehle beim Thema "Mobilfunk" jede Handhabe, klagen viele Kommunen - denn für Sendemasten bis zu zehn Metern Höhe (also innerorts praktisch alle) brauchen die Betreiber in Bayern keine Genehmigung. Geht es nach den Initiatoren des Volksbegehrens "Für Gesundheitsvorsorge beim Mobilfunk", muss das anders werden: Eine Änderung der Bauordnung ist eines der Ziele, für die im Landkreis ein breites Bündnis kämpft.

"Ich hab` ja selber ein Handy - da kann ich das doch nicht unterschreiben . . ." Diese Haltung könnte den Erfolg des Volksbegehrens am ehesten gefährden, meint Agnes Edenhofer, Koordinatorin der Unterstützer im Landkreis. Und stellt klar: Keinesfalls wende sich die von der ödp initiierte Aktion gegen die Nutzung von Handys - "es geht nur darum, diese Technik gesundheitsfreundlich zu gestalten."

Dafür kämpft vor Ort ein breites Bündnis: neben Naturschützern und Agenda-Gruppen unter anderem Die Unabhängigen im Landkreis, Bürgermeister aller Parteien, FDP-Kreisrat Klaus Breil und der Grünen-Kreisverband. Letzterer übrigens im Unterschied zur Landespartei. "Die oben kneifen", sagt Hans Schütz, der als Parteiloser die Grünen im Kreistag vertritt: "Doch immer noch zu glauben, man könnte im Landtag Politik mitgestalten, ist lächerlich; das geht nur über Volksbegehren."

Große Unterstützung

Die Unterstützung an der Basis sei groß, sagte Agnes Edenhofer bei einem Treffen im Naturfreundehaus Weilheim, doch viele Bürgermeister und Gemeinderäte zögerten - aus Sorge, "dass ihnen der Schwarze Peter zugeschoben wird", wenn sie über Standorte von Sendern mitentscheiden können.

Die Stadt Weilheim etwa habe "Angst vor der Haftung", so Dr. Jürgen Seitz ("Bürgerwelle" Seeshaupt); doch juristisch müsse keine Kommune etwas befürchten, "die Haftungsthematik existiert nicht."

Kritisiert wird am Volksbegehren oft, dass wirkliche Änderungen nur auf Bundesebene möglich seien. "Ein Totschlagsargument der Staatsregierung", so Seitz: Durch Änderung des "extrem mobilfunkfreundlichen" Baurechts in Bayern wäre "der schlimmste Wildwuchs" einzudämmen. Auch übe ein erfolgreiches Volksbegehren Druck auf Berlin aus.

Bayernweit muss mindestens jeder zehnte Wahlberechtigte zwischen 5. und 18. Juli unterschreiben, damit es zum Volksentscheid kommt. Dass der Kreis Weilheim-Schongau seine Quote schafft, davon ist das Aktionsteam im Übrigen "fest überzeugt", wie sich bei einem Treffen zeigte.

mm

03.06.2005

http://www.marktplatz-oberbayern.de/regionen/schongau/art1609,281952.html


Nachricht von der BI Bad Dürkheim

WICHTIGE INFORMATION UND AUFRUF ZUR HILFE !

An alle Menschen in Gewerkschaften und Kirchen, in Sozial-, Bildungs- und Jugendarbeit, in Friedens- und Umweltinitiativen, an alle sozial engagierten BürgerInnen !

Vom 21.-24.Juli 2005 findet in Erfurt das 1. Sozialforum in Deutschland statt. Es wird das erste Treffen der sozial kritischen Öffentlichkeit, von Initiativen und Vereinen aus allen Teilen der Bundesrepublik seit vielen Jahren sein. Zu diesem Ereignis werden etwa 5.000 Menschen erwartet. Von Erfurt kann und soll ein Zeichen der Ermutigung für ein soziales und menschenwürdiges Zusammenleben ausgehen!

In den von der Stadt zur Verfügung gestellten öffentlichen Räumen wird sich ein breites Themenspektrum entrollen: von der Friedenserhaltung über die Gestaltung sozialer Alternativen gegen den Neoliberalismus bis hin zum Schutz unserer natürlichen Umwelt. Wir, die ehrenamtliche Vorbereitungsgruppe des Thüringer Sozialforums bitten Euch, zum Gelingen dieses Projektes “Sozialforum 2005 in Erfurt” beizutragen. Laßt uns ein Signal geben, dass engagiertes bürgerschaftliches Engagement lebt, dass es zueinander findet und Alternativen eines sozialen und menschenwürdigen Zusammenlebens einfordert.

Möglichkeiten, die das Sozialforum bietet:

1. Veranstaltungen anmelden und durchführen

Programmdirektoren des Sozialforums sind die Akteure selbst: bis zum 30.Mai noch können Gruppen, Initiativen, Vereine und Einzelpersonen zu ihren Schwerpunkten Veranstaltungen anmelden: sie können Workshops veranstalten und Infostände ausrichten oder kulturelle Angebote vorstellen. Eine ehrenamtliche Programmgruppe wird versuchen, die verschiedenen Ideen zu vernetzen, Räume und Bühnen zu ordnen und ein großes, buntes, aber dennoch übersichtlich gestaltetes Programm zu stricken. Es soll Anfang Juli gedruckt vorliegen.

Räume für Veranstaltungen stehen vor allem in den Schulen zur Verfügung, auf dem Domplatz wird ein großes Festzelt stehen, das den Mittelpunkt für eine Versorgungsmeile und einen Markt der Möglichkeiten bietet (Infostände, internationale und regionale Küche). Wer einen Infostand oder einen Stand für alternative Produkte oder Essen anbieten will, sollte sich mit uns kontaktieren. Die Thüringer Vorbereitungsgruppe kann hierfür außer dem Platz und der Vermittlung von ggf. notwendigen Anschlüssen keine logistische Unterstützung geben.

2. Teilnehmen

Wer am Sozialforum teilnimmt, kann dort entsprechend seiner/ihrer Interessen Vorträge und Debatten zu den zentralen Fragen von Frieden, Zukunft der Sozialsysteme und der Arbeitsgesellschaft hören, darüber hinaus gibt es auch jede Menge Gelegenheiten für Austausch und Kontakte.

Trotz aller Bemühungen, die Kosten zu minimieren, kommt das Sozialforum ohne einen Teilnehmerbeitrag nicht aus. 20 Euro pro geringer ausgestattete Person und 50 Euro pro finanziell potenterer Teilnehmer sollen helfen, Raummieten, Gebühren, Stromkosten, Mindestaufwendungen an Technik und für übergreifende kulturelle Angebote zu tragen. Dafür stehen dem Teilnehmer 3 Übernachtungen (meist Turnhalle) und vier Tage freie Fahrt mit dem ÖNV zur Verfügung. Für interessierte Menschen, denen es absolut unmöglich ist, den Teilnehmerbeitrag zu zahlen, bitten wir Euch, im Vorfeld regionale Sammelaktionen durchzuführen, um auch ihnen die Teilnahme zu ermöglichen.

3. Die Veranstaltung unterstützen

a) Durch ehrenamtliche Mitarbeit in der Organisation

Als selbstorganisiertes Ereignis ist das Sozialforum in Deutschland voll auf das Engagement von Ehrenamtlichen angewiesen.
Die Thüringer Vorbereitungsgruppe hat vier Gruppen gebildet:
1) Anmeldeverfahren, Teilnehmerbeiträge, Übernachtung,
2) Räume, Programm,
3) Stände, Verpflegung, Kultur,
4) Öffentlichkeit, Werbung, Partner.

Hier brauchen wir dringend noch Kräfte. Wer in einer dieser Gruppen mitarbeiten möchte, wendet sich an unser Büro: Thüringer Sozialforum, Schillerstrasse 44, Jugendcafe “Filler” verdi, Erfurt 99096, buero@sozialforum2005.de; Heike Mahnert: 0361/2117241.

b) Durch Verteilung von Werbematerial und Einwerben von Spenden

Aber Ihr könnt auch vor Ort etwas tun: Wir sind für jede Unterstützung dankbar. Auch Verbindungen zu örtlichen Radios und Fernsehkanälen helfen uns weiter.

Das Sozialforum braucht Spenden, um Raummieten, Kulturaufwendungen und nötigste Büro- und Organisationsfragen zu finanzieren. Spendenkonto: Friedens- und Zukunftswerkstatt, Frankfurter Sparkasse, BLZ 500 502 01, Konto Nr. 2000 81 292. Stichwort Sozialforum 2005, falls erwünscht, „Spendenquittung“ vermerken.

Könnt Ihr bei Veranstaltungen das Thüringer Sozialforum Werbematerial verteilen und/oder Werbeartikel vertreiben. Wer hier helfen kann, setze sich bitte mit uns in Verbindung.

Heike Mahnert/Steffen Kachel: 0361/2117241.

c) durch die Gewinnung kultureller Akteure aus Eurem/Ihrem Umfeld

Am Freitag, dem 22.07.2005 soll in der Thüringen-Halle ein regionales Musik- Event stattfinden. Außerdem gibt es zwei kleinere Bühnen auf dem Fischmarkt und auf dem Anger, die auch am Tage für kulturelle Darbietungen (Theater, Pantomime, Musik u.a.) zur Verfügung stehen. Für diese kulturellen Angebote wollen wir Schüler-Bands und lokale kulturelle Initiativen aus ganz Thüringen interessieren. Es steht ein Basisangebot an nutzbarer Technik zur Verfügung. Wer hat Lust, die kulturelle Atmosphäre des Sozialforums mitzugestalten?

Meldet uns bitte mögliche Interessenten, sprecht mit uns die technische Unterstützung ab.

Heike Mahnert/Karin Schrappe: 0361/2117241.

d) durch die Zurverfügungstellung von Übernachtungsmöglichkeiten

Natürlich benötigt ein solches Ereignis entsprechende Übernachtungskapazitäten. Wir hoffen darauf, einen größeren Teil der Menschen, die für die politische und soziale Debatte nach Erfurt kommen, bei hier wohnenden Menschen (etwa Erfurt und Umkreis, Gotha, Weimar, Arnstadt) unterbringen zu können. Wer Quartiere anbieten kann (kostenlos oder gegen eine geringe Entschädigung), wende sich bitte an die Geschäftsstelle der Arbeitsloseninitiative Thüringen, 0361/6442350, Bahnhofstrasse 29/30, 99094 Erfurt.

http://www.epha.org/a/1834


But there are still areas where the EU must deliver more. A new European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) became operational in Stockholm on 28 May 2005 and this is a step. The major burden of ill health and premature death in Europe is strongly linked to consumption patterns of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy foods. The presence of chemicals in consumer products and other environmental polluntants are an unseen and often unknown risk for health.

Sylvie

Redaktionsleiterin der Financial Times Deutschland

„Hat sie nicht recht? Was machen 8.614 Bedarfsgemeinschaften, was machen 15.000 Alg II-Bezieher, was machen 11.000 Langzeitarbeitslose in Oldenburg? Sie lassen sich in den A... treten und kuschen!...“ Artikel von ERGO? Erwerbslosen-Gewerkschaft-Oldenburg, erschienen in STACHEL, der unabhänigen Stadtzeitung für Oldenburg, Sondernummer zu "100 Tagen Alg II"

http://www.labournet.de/diskussion/arbeit/aktionen/stachel.html


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 3

Oder: Was wir gegen den Umbau des Sozialstaates unternehmen können

„Mit der „Agenda 2010“ nehmen für viele Menschen Armut und Existenzunsicherheit zu, mit ihr werden Menschenrechte gespalten und die Grundlagen einer sozialen Demokratie weiter untergraben…“ Broschüre des Komitees für Grundrechte und Demokratie vom Mai 2005. (pdf)

http://www.labournet.de/diskussion/arbeit/realpolitik/allg/umbau.pdf

Die Broschüre kann auch in gedruckter Version bestellt werden und kostet pro Exemplar 1 Euro. Für größere Bestellungen gibt es Staffelpreise. Bestellungen an: Komitee für Grundrechte und Demokratie, Aquinostr 7-11, 50670 Köln, Telefon 0221/9726920, Telefax 0221 / 972 69-31, Email: info@grundrechtekomitee.de


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 3

La Défense

„Einmal ist keinmal: Unten stehender Artikel, der einen netten (und realistischen) Eindruck auf die soziale Polarisierung im Zusammenhang mit dem französischen Referendum vom vorigen Sonntag vermittelt, stammt aus "Le Monde"….“ Kommentierte Übersetzung von Bernard Schmid des Artikels von Robert Belleret aus "Le Monde" vom 01. 06. 2005

http://www.labournet.de/internationales/fr/lemonde.html


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 3

The U.S. government is finding that its own terrorist activities are now getting closer scrutiny. Nothing could be more of an embarrassment than the harboring of Luis Posada Carriles. No one fits the profile of a terrorist more than this man. The failure of Washington to extradite him has touched off huge demonstrations in Cuba and Venezuela, where he is wanted for multiple crimes.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9013.htm

In 1998, the Pentagon acknowledged that “Combat troops or those carrying out support functions generally did not know that DU contaminated equipment such as enemy vehicles struck by DU rounds required special handling. The failure to properly disseminate such information to troops at all levels may have resulted in thousands of unnecessary exposures.”

http://www.yirmeyahureview.com/articles/depleted_uranium_lessons_in_humanitarian_and_other_warfare.htm
http://snipurl.com/fbni


From Information Clearing House

The report concludes by noting that the gravest danger stemming from U.S. weapons sales is the impact on the image, credibility and security of America. Funneling arms to repressive and undemocratic governments, while at the same time championing democracy, causes the credulity of America to be questioned.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9019.htm

Jeremy Scahill reports on how Bush began the Iraq invasion before he went to Congress.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9017.htm

For the Tillmans, as with Pfc. Lynch and the 9/11 widows, the path to true patriotism means confronting your government when it lies.

http://snipurl.com/fbn2


From Information Clearing House

The more horrific crimes and misdemeanors of the current White House have been exposed by insiders and outsiders, but so far the wheels of justice have not started to grind. If Nixon were still with us, he'd be envious.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1497063,00.html


From Information Clearing House

Fifteen photos were distributed worldwide, along with a story, on Dec. 3. The photos appear to show servicemen in Iraq sitting on hooded and handcuffed detainees, as well as what look like bloodied prisoners, one with a gun to his head.

http://cbsnewyork.com/national/SEALsPhotos-Lawsuit-aa/resources_news_html


From Information Clearing House

Last year, Kevin Sites filmed a marine shooting an apparently unarmed insurgent in Falluja. He tells Dan Glaister the truth of what he saw and how what followed changed his life.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9008.htm

by Mike Whitney

The Senate Intelligence Committee is working behind closed doors to expand the powers of the Patriot Act and deliver another withering blow to the 4th amendment. This time the constitutional broadside comes in the form of "administrative subpoenas"; an Orwellian expression which indicates that law enforcement agencies, like the FBI, will be able to circumvent the courts to subpoena records.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9018.htm

Video

“Falluja-The day After” shows the total devastation of the Iraqi town, the corpses of the victims, the mass graves, the exhumation of many corpses by local rescue teams in order to try to recognize some of the victims.

Warning

Video contains images depicting the reality and horror of war and should be viewed by a mature audience.

Click here to watch it online. Windows media
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9010.htm

Aktuell wurden bei mehreren Mobilfunkgeschädigten durch Kernspinaufnahmen des Gehirns "mikroangiopathische Läsionen" festgestellt (Verletzungen oder Störungen der Funktionen von kleinsten Gefäßen) - auch im mittleren Lebensalter.

Salford hat ganz ähnliche Vorhersagen gemacht. Seine Studie vom Jan. 2003 gewinnt daher enorm an Bedeutung und Brisanz.

Deshalb habe ich die Salford-Übersetzung noch einmal überarbeitet und als pdf-Datei angehängt - zum Verbreiten und Einstellen ins Internet.

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/salford_korr_uebersetzung.pdf

Wer den Text in anderer Form (als in PDF-Form) benötigt kann mich kontaktieren.

Heute wurde auf dem Gasthaus "Zum Löwen" in 76467 Bietigheim gegenüber meinem Haus zwischen die zwei GSM Rundstrahler von O2 ein weiterer Stahl-Mast (noch ohne UMTS-Sendezellen) montiert - der Grundstückseigentümer lässt dies zu, obwohl er meine Leidensgeschichte ganz genau kennt. Dieser Mann ist für mich kein "Mensch" mehr.

http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/gasthaus_loewe01b.jpg


Dr. Volker Schorpp

--------

So kommt etwa die Stanford-Studie vom Januar 2003 zu dem Ergebnis, dass bereits bei einer zweistündigen Bestrahlung mit 2mW/kg eine signifikante Öffnung der Blut-Hirn-Schranke bei Versuchsratten erfolgt. Trotz der gefundenen Hirnschäden waren keine Verhaltensstörungen bei den Tieren auffällig. Im Vergleich: Der zulässige SAR-Wert für die Benutzung des Handys beträgt 2000mW/kg und Anwohner von Sendemasten müssten immerhin noch 80mW/kg akzeptieren.

http://omega.twoday.net/stories/740363/

--------

Mehr zur Salford-Studie: Interpretationen, Auslassungen und Verfälschungen der Forschungsgemeinschaft Funk (FGF)
http://www.elektrosmognews.de/news/moresalford03.htm

Neue Salford-Studie: Mobilfunkstrahlung von Handys löst bei Ratten Hirnschäden aus
http://www.elektrosmognews.de/news/salfordjan03.htm
http://www.oekosmos.de/artikel/details/neue-salford-studie-mobilfunkstrahlung-von-handys-loest-bei-ratten-hirnschaeden-aus/

Salford Studie
http://www.google.de/url?sa=U&start=9&q=http://www.bim-langenburg.de/Grundlagen/Salford_Studie/salford_studie.html&e=9818

Salford-Studie von 1999: Mikrowellen schädigen Gehirne und machen sie aufnahmefähig für Gifte
http://www.mobilfunk-buergerforum.de/home/home_artikelshow.php?_aid=46

--------

http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Salford

01.06.05

Paul Wolfowitz hat am Mittwoch sein Amt als Weltbankpräsident angetreten. Verschiedene Nichtregierungsorganisationen kritisierten die fehlende demokratische Legitimation des neuen Weltbankpräsidenten. Sie attestierten der Weltbank "eine tiefe Glaubwürdigkeitskrise". "Ab jetzt wird die wichtigste internationale Entwicklungsorganisation von einem Präsidenten geführt, der vom überwiegenden Teil der Welt klar abgelehnt wird und durch ein zutiefst fragwürdiges und undemokratisches Kandidatengeschacher einiger weniger Regierungen auf den Posten gedrückt wurde", sagte Daniela Setton von WEED. Verbesserungen in der Politik der Weltbank seien nicht zu erwarten, erklärte WEED.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11176

01.06.05

Wegen der Gesundheitspolitik und der Arbeitsmarktreform "Hartz IV" haben sich im vergangenen Jahr deutlich mehr Bürger mit Petitionen an den Bundestag gewandt. Die Zahl der Eingaben an den Petitionsausschuss stieg gegenüber 2003 um 15 Prozent auf 17 999, wie der Vorsitzende Karlheinz Guttmacher (FDP) am Mittwoch mitteilte. Täglich gingen über 70 Zuschriften ein - bei steigender Tendenz. Die relativ meisten Petitionen kommen weiterhin aus dem Osten Deutschlands.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11175

Unsicher: Datenschützer kritisieren Biometrie-Pässe ab November als "Großversuch" (01.06.05)

Reisepässe sollen ab 1. November biometrische Daten enthalten. Das kündigte Bundesinnenminister Otto Schily (SPD) am Mittwoch in Berlin an. Die Pässe sollen in einem kontaktlos auslesbaren Chip zunächst Gesichtsmerkmale speichern. Ab 2007 sollen zusätzlich zwei Fingerabdrücke auf dem Chip gespeichert werden. Der Preis der Pässe steigt von jetzt 26 auf 59 Euro. Die Datenschutzbeauftragten des Bundes und der Länder warnten vor einer überstürzten Ausgabe der neuen Pässe. Wesentliche Fragen der technischen und organisatorischen Sicherheit sowie des Datenschutzes seien noch nicht geklärt. Erst wenn hierzu befriedigende Antworten gefunden würden, eine Änderung des Passgesetzes erfolgt sei und dort eine strenge Zweckbindung der Passdaten festgelegt wurde, dürfe mit der Ausgabe von Biometriepässen begonnen werden. Der geplante frühzeitige Start sei ein "Großversuch" an der Bevölkerung. Scheinbar besonders sichere Ausweisdokumente würden durch den Einsatz unsicherer biometrischer Verfahren gar zu einem Risikofaktor.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11174



Biometrische Verfahren
http://ecolog.twoday.net/stories/1057811/

at
http://www.ncadp.org/execution_alerts.html

Michael Lambert is scheduled to be executed June 22 despite the fact that experts believe him to be mentally ill.

Perhaps neither the jury nor the justices would have imposed a death sentence had they been made fully aware of all of the mitigating factors in Lambert's case. Much to Lambert's detriment, mitigating evidence pertaining to his mental condition was not presented at trial. Two mental health professionals indicated that Lambert suffers from "organic brain dysfunction, dysthymia, and substance dependence with antisocial and dependent personality features."

The execution of the mentally ill is a deplorable violation of international human rights standards.

Act now by faxing Gov. Mitch Daniels asking him to grant clemency for Michael Lambert!

Read More and Take Action at
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/ncadp/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=805

Der Jahresbericht von amnesty international dokumentiert Menschenrechtsverletzungen in 149 Ländern. Doch die meisten fallen durch das mediale Raster.

http://www.telepolis.de/tp/r4/artikel/20/20215/1.html

While Denmark and Finland led the 26 participating OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries with child poverty rates below 3 percent last year, Mexico and the United States were at the other end of the spectrum, both with child poverty rates of more than 20 percent.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jun2005/pove-j01.shtml


From Information Clearing House

Whether our recent past of relative domestic security from terrorism was an illusion, our vulnerability to it now is not. And it is with great derision, that this government is not helping but rather, escalating the consequences.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9004.htm

The information that the White House has refused to provide Congress for its review into the nomination of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations includes the names of companies mentioned in intelligence reports on commerce with China and other countries covered by export restrictions, according to officials briefed on the matter.

http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/2005/06/01/news/bolton.php
http://snipurl.com/faup

A cowed and politicized military establishment, hailed as invincible just two years ago, marches steadily down a demoralizing but all-too-familiar path.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8997.htm

02.06.05

Eine grobe Täuschung der Öffentlichkeit wirft die bundesweite Anti-Atom-Organisation "X-tausendmal quer" den Energiekonzernen RWE und E.on am Donnerstag vor. Beide Unternehmen hätten sich in den letzten Tagen für eine Verlängerung der Laufzeit ihrer Atomkraftwerke ausgesprochen, sollte es im Herbst zu einem Regierungswechsel kommen. Möglich wäre dies aufgrund der Sicherheit der Anlagen, hätten Manager beider Firmen behauptet. Laut X-tausenmal quer standen aber Kraftwerke beider Betreiber schon kurz vor einer Katastrophe. Die Initiative forderte statt Laufzeitverlängerungen die sofortige Stillegung aller Atomkraftwerke.

Die ganze Nachricht im Internet:
http://www.ngo-online.de/ganze_nachricht.php?Nr=11178

Papiere Bitte

Those were the magic words of the time: “Papiere Bitte. (Translation: “Papers, Please.”)

By: Doris Colmes

I smell the long-forgotten skunk, the long-forgotten rot of fascism. What is happening all around can no longer be denied. . What I ran away from so desperately in 1938 is coming back full circle. Only the jack-boots have not yet arrived.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9007.htm

Letter by Monique Frugier to ProgressiveExchange
Sunday, 29 May 2005

Mr. President,

In your weekly radio address you said:” Today a new generation of Americans is making its own sacrifice on behalf of peace and freedom, and some have given their lives.”

No Sir. 1,656 Americans did not give their lives. You took their lives; you sent them to Iraq to die. Those brave soldiers gave their lives on behalf of your fabricated lies. [...] Read the letter at Progressive Xchange, another interesting web site: http://www.progressiveexchange.com/content/view/1283/ or at http://tinyurl.com/bmxmy


© Virginia Metze

EDDIE BARNES
POLITICAL EDITOR
Sun 22 May 2005

HIS bristling, chest-out performance at the usually soporific US Senate last week gave Americans their first taste of political debate, Dundee-style. Now, it appears, the United States wants more of the indefatigable 'Gorgeous' George Galloway.

The maverick Respect MP is being offered a potentially lucrative lecture circuit deal in the US following his appearance before the Senate's permanent select subcommittee on investigations.

Galloway's compelling and memorable rebuttal of accusations that he profited from the Iraq Oil-for-Food programme led to him being contacted immediately afterwards by American promoters.

They believe Galloway's bombastic rhetoric could electrify campuses across the country. [...] Read about it in scotsman.com: http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=560212005


© Virginia Metze

http://www.buzzflash.com/alerts/05/06/ale05082.html
http://www.johnconyers.campaignoffice.com/index.asp?Type=SUPERFORMS&SEC=

INTERVIEW
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/31064/story.htm

by Antonio Villaraigosa, TomPaine.com

Los Angeles' mayor-elect speaks about a new agenda for California--and America--based on our shared values.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050602/the_unity_mayor.php

by Frida Berrigan and William D. Hartung, TomPaine.com

Bush's rhetoric about promoting freedom doesn't match up with the regimes he arms.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050602/promoting_democracy_or_fueling_repression.php

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3298684a7693,00.html


Informant: Anna Webb

http://www.ncc-1776.com/tle2005/tle321-20050529-05.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050601/dying_for_an_education.php


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.libertyforall.net/2005/june14/REAL-ID.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.counterpunch.org/lindorff06012005.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/GF02Aa02.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.binghamtonpmc.org/feature/display/926/index.php


Informant: billder

Chesterfield Today

People power looks set to cut off plans for a controversial mobile mast near homes in a mid-Derbyshire village.

Orange has planning permission from NE Derbyshire District Council to site a mast only 300 metres from a school in Wessington at Nethergreen Farm, Moorwood Moor Lane .

But after protests from villagers the landowners – four members of the Eason family – decided to put the matter to a public vote.

Fifty locals turned up at the Three Horseshoes Pub for a referendum on whether the mast should go ahead – and landlord Scott Brown said the answer was a resounding 'no'.

Mr Brown said: "The Easoms have been very good about this. They have said they will consider the views of the villagers.

"But they can't get back to us this week as they are silaging and cannot stop. We understand that, they have a business to run. We hope to hold a meeting with them very soon."

Last month Mr Brown vowed to leave the village if the 17m mast, with six antennae and four microwave dishes, was erected. He and other villagers were worried that the radiowaves were a health risk to the children.

Villagers were asked to vote whether to support the original plan, to choose from sites 400, 500 or 700 metres away from the school and village green or to decide not to have a mast at all. The villagers voted to do without a mast altogether.

Orange has planning permission from NEDDC to site the mast in the original position.

They and the landowners came up with a second possible site for the mast, the 400 metres option, but this has also been turned down by the villagers.

A spokeswoman for Orange said the mast conformed to strict government guidelines and no link between masts and ill-health had been established.

charlotte.white@derbyshiretimes.co.uk

02 June 2005

Haverhill Echo

Haverhill MP Richard Spring has written to the Planning Inspectorate, urging its officers to refuse an appeal by Hutchison 3G for a telecommunications mast at Hazel Stub roundabout.

Hutchison 3G is appealing against the decision by St Edmundsbury Borough Council's planning committee to refuse planning permission for the mast, which would support 3G mobile phones.
Nearby residents had fought a determined campaign against the mast.

In his letter, Mr Spring said: "I wish to personally oppose this appeal and hope that you will refuse it. It would certainly not be in the best interests of my constituents to allow the base station to go ahead." Mr Spring had previously shown his support for the residents' campaign, attending a rally in the town centre.

Residents are concerned about the potential health risks from siting a mast so close to properties and schools.

Mr Spring said: "I have never before witnessed so much vociferous objection to a planning application in my time as a Member of Parliament."

The appeal will be dealt with by a planning inspector, but it could go to a public inquiry.

02 June 2005

Jun 2 2005

Ayrshire Post

MOBILE phone masts are being put up next to people’s homes because they’re banned from council owned land, say Tory councillors.

And Troon councillor Peter Convery revealed this week that he’s taken his campaign for the ban to be relaxed all the way to the Scottish Parliament.

He insists that while more appropriate open spaces lie empty, masts are being erected just metres away from homes.

Councillor Convery explained: “By banning the use of council land for the purposes of telecommunications equipment, the council’s policy has forced mobile phone companies to target sites in close proximity to residential areas.

“In many instances the companies themselves would have preferred to locate their equipment on, for example, golf courses and other open spaces removed from residential properties.”

He added: “Two recent examples are the planning applications for 02 masts in Troon at Lochend Road and Kilmarnock Road , which provoked what in my view was a quite understandable level of concern and objection amongst local residents.

“Had the council’s moratorium policy not been in place, I believe that both of these facilities would have been sited in much more appropriate locations, nowhere near residential areas.

“While I clearly would not want to see a rash of mobile phone masts springing up across local parklands and golf courses, it equally does not seem sensible to close such locations off completely as an option, particularly when the alternative is for masts to end up being sited just meters from the homes of local residents.”

A motion by Councillor Convery and his Conservative group colleague, Councillor Alistair Kerr, calling on the moratorium to be reviewed was rejected at a recent meeting of South Ayrshire Council.

Councillor Convery went on: “ I decided to take the matter to the Scottish Parliament’s petitions committee, since I believe the parliament has a crucial role to play in helping ensure that there is clear guidance on how such moratoriums should be applied, to balance the need to roll out new telecommunications systems with the expressed concerns of local people.

“While the two recent cases in Troon have raised the profile of this issue locally, this is a problem that affects the whole of Scotland. I hope that by drawing it to the attention on the Scottish Parliament’s petitions committee, a sensible solution can be arrived at.”

The issue will be debated by the petitions committee when it holds its special sitting at Ayr ’s County Buildings on Monday, June 6.

Ilkley Gazette

Plans to site a phone mast opposite a Burley-in-Wharfedale housing estate are meeting with opposition from local people.

Residents of the Sandholme estate are said to be in a state of shock after discovering the plan for a strip of land opposite their homes.

And they claim they are in a catch 22 situation after being told they are not allowed to object on health grounds.

T Mobile has submitted a prior notification of the installation of a 15m mast with antennae, transmission dish and radio equipment at land north of Langroyd, on Bradford Road .

And local people have been told they have until Saturday, June 4, to get their views across.

Brian Garlick, who lives on Bradford Road "virtually next door" to the proposed site said he was one of just a handful of neighbours who received official notification of the plan from Bradford Council.

He now wants to make sure all the local residents are made aware of the application before the deadline passes.

He said: "It is absolutely shocking that this is planned for a thin strip of land opposite a housing estate. Everyone I have spoken to is in a state of shock really"

Mr Garlick said he was concerned about the possible health risks, and he argued that the mast should be sited away from housing estates - preferably in a position with fields on both sides of the road.

He stressed: "There are mixed feelings from the experts, and until we absolutely know for sure we should err on the side of caution."

But he added: "If they are blasé enough to build next to schools what hope is there."

Mr Garlick claims many people in Burley are unaware of the plan or unsure of the proposed location.

He stressed: "I want to raise people's awareness on this issue. It is not just a rumour anymore - it is actually happening.

Mr Garlick says he has been told the council's planning department can only consider objections on planning grounds such as car parking and traffic - and that objections on health grounds will not be valid.

He stressed: "What annoys me is that they say you cannot argue about it on the grounds of health - but as we have tried to point out they are the very grounds everyone wants to oppose it on. It is like a catch 22 situation."

His neighbour Dr Barbara Metcalfe is objecting to the plan on the grounds of traffic problems and safety.

Dr Metcalfe, a research biologist, said it was already extremely difficult and potentially dangerous to turn onto Bradford Road from the Sandholme estate. She believes this problem will be exacerbated by the siting of a mast on the corner.

She said: "Anything that is put on the bend of the road will obstruct the view. It is hellish getting out onto Bradford Road already."

Burley Community Council Chairman Bruce Speed said BCC was aware of the proposed mast and its exact position was being checked.

He added: "Our view is that it should not be immediately opposite the end of Sandholme Drive , because of the traffic danger from its layby when service vehicles are parked. It should be at the North end of the Staithe away from the junction."

He added: "It would have been better on the existing mast on the old Otley Road , shared with the existing user, but we heard that had been rejected."

Mr Garlick is asking anyone who wants to comment on the plan to write to the Senior planner Martynn Burke, at Ilkley Town Hall , Ilkley LS29 8HB, or e-mail martyn.burke@bradford.gov.uk.

The application number is 05/03123/PNT.

This is Kidderminster

ANGRY residents battling plans to put three mobile phone masts on the same Kidderminster site say the area is in danger of becoming a "dumping ground" for masts.

A 12 metre monopole has already been put up on the Charlie Brown site in Stourport Road, shocking many neighbouring householders, who had not realised planning permission had been granted when it appeared.

They were horrified to discover - just days later - that two separate applications had been submitted to Wyre Forest District Council to build another two masts on the same land.

One of the proposals, for a 15 metre Hutchinson 3G mast, will be discussed at the district council's planning and environmental control committee meeting on Tuesday and residents are desperately trying to make their fears known in the meantime.

Stourport Road resident, Anita Gallagher, whose husband, Tony, will address councillors to explain the opposition to the plan, said householders had formed a group called Communities Against Mobile Masts and filled their windows with posters saying "Say No To Masts".

Gloucester Echo

14:52 - 02 June 2005

Church leaders at St Philip and St James' in Leckhampton are planning to put a mobile phone mast in the tower. The church council has provisionally agreed to the request from QS4 Ltd.

The church, which would receive an annual fee for hosting the equipment, believes the mast would be less of an eyesore inside the building than outside.

It says there is a need for a mast in Leckhampton because there is poor network coverage in the area.

Residents and councillors are dismayed.

Borough councilllor Robin MacDonald (Leckhampton, Con) attacked the move.

He said: "I don't agree with it. There are a lot of residents around there and I hope they consult with them.

"Putting it in the tower doesn't destroy the health hazards. It will still have radiation coming out of it."

He added: "The need for money is up to the church.

"But it would be a shame if they put that before people in the area."

The vicar, the Rev Canon Peter Chicken, said he was aware it was a sensitive issue.

He said: "The church council gave it a great deal of thought and was unanimous in giving it approval.

"Having examined the facts we were convinced that the risks to health and safety were minute. We take our responsibilities to the community very seriously."

Mr Chicken said the church intends to use the income to further its work with children and young people in the parish.

He added that there will be no final decision on whether the project will go ahead for at least three months, and there will be an opportunity for concerns or objections to be heard.

Gloucester Echo

10:30 - 02 June 2005

Enforcement officers stepped in to stop mobile phone giant O2 working on a mast built in the wrong place in Warden Hill.

Residents bombarded Cheltenham Borough Council with complaints when they realised engineers were connecting the mast in Shurdington Road to the mains. In March, the borough council warned O2 it was building the mast in the wrong place, but work continued.

The installation is 9.5m closer to the bus stop than approved.

The company submitted a retrospective planning application and has been running the mast off a generator ever since.

But on Tuesday residents spotted workmen trying to connect the mast to mains electricity. They rang the council in their droves to complain.

Planning enforcement officers moved in at 4pm and told the workmen to stop.

Grahame Lewis, Cheltenham Borough Council's assistant director for the built environment, said: "Work has been halted until members of the planning committee have had an opportunity to decide upon the application.

"It's extremely annoying that the company has opted to undertake this work at this time, and we'll do all we can to make sure it complies with national policy.

"The company's regional headquarters will be contacted and advised of the council's very serious concerns regarding this action."

Paul Ryder, who lives opposite the mast in Hawkswood Road , said: "O2 has no planning permission. We didn't want the mast in the first place and now they've put it in the wrong place.

"The council needs to take a hard line. I guarantee if I put up a tree house across the road, the council would be on me like a tonne of bricks.

"I want the work stopped and the mast moved to its right place."

Neighbour Dawn Harris said: "It's disgraceful. I've just had an extension built and if I have to abide by planning regulations, why shouldn't O2?

"None of us wanted the mast but all we want is for them to play by the rules."

Angela Johnson, O2's community relation's manager, stood firm.

She said: "The planning authority was happy for us to put in a retrospective planning application and the enforcement officer has not issued any stop notice.

"As far as we're concerned, we're perfectly at liberty to continue work on the mast."

Tamworth Herald

10:30 - 02 June 2005

So, mobile provider O2 are confident emissions tests on a mobile phone mast at St Edward's RC School in Packington Lane , Coleshill, are well within (ICNIRP) emission guidelines are they? (Herald, May 19).

Well of course they will be! These ridiculously lenient guidelines were adopted by Government in 1992, in the technology's infancy, after subjecting animals to 20 minutes of this electro-magnetic radiation and then pronouncing it safe to humans! In addition, this 'research' only measured the thermal effects of this radiation, not the biological effects.

Mast emissions will hardly ever be above these meaningless guidelines because, as independent research has shown, they were set 9,000 times too high, i.e. human cells start to be affected at 9,000 times below the current limit.

Phone mast emissions are pulsed and low level. The major concern is the biological effect on the body, the ability to alter human cells.

Brain wave patterns pulse on a similar frequency to radiation emitted by these masts. Independent research shows that it is this pulsing frequency of the radiation emitted that causes headaches, sleep disturbance, rashes and fatigue.

More worryingly it also reduces melatonin, the cancer fighting hormone, being released from the pineal gland.

Even the Government's own advisers (the Stewart Report) confirm that this technology has not been proved safe.

John Elliott, Bristol

--------

In addition, whenever O2 knows something is happening around a site, as we in Orpington have discovered, such as residents renting meters or the media coming, O2 switch the masts off!

The 'independent' report commissioned by O2 to test emissions in the immediate vicinity of the Orpington BT Exchange was a farce, as the sites chosen to take the readings from were laughable, eg, two roads away behind houses. All the hotspots we had repeatedly warned them out were totally ignored. We had to laugh, though, when Jim Stevenson, (O2 bod and also a Councillor for Mental Health in Lewisham - excuse the ironic laughing) insisted the masts were on, then was seen up on the roof of the exchange measuring the meters - either they were off, or he likes to live dangerously!

Angie Shields
http://www.OrpingtonRAM.co.uk

Malborough Herald

A PROPOSED mobile phone transmitter on the edge of Great Bedwyn would be too close to the school, protesters are telling Kennet district councillors.

Newbury-based Vodaphone Ltd is seeking planning consent for a telecommunications base station at Wansdyke Crossing in the parish of Little Bedwyn.

When the report by Kennet planning officers to members of its regulatory committee was prepared ahead of their meeting next Thursday, no reaction had been received from Little Bedwyn Parish Council.

However, neighbouring Great Bedwyn Parish Council has lodged an objection saying the transmitter with its 50ft mast would be too close to Great Bedwyn village school and contravene Government guidelines.

The school has lodged its own objection and nine other letters of protest have been received.

More than 70 per cent of parents and staff had objected when Vodaphone consulted the school.

Kennet officers are telling members that the Government recommendation is that the planning system is not the place for determining health safeguards and they have recommended approval of the plans.

by Naomi Wright

This is Local London

CHINGFORD is being bombarded with phone mast applications, say local residents.

Fears about the number of phone masts being put up in the area were raised at a North Chingford Community Council meeting.

Local people said they were dismayed when a recent planning application for a mast at Chingford Hatch was rejected by Waltham Forest Council, only to be overturned on appeal.

They asked if the council could take up the issue on behalf of residents and bring the case to the High Court.

A number of local people said health concerns were their main grievances against phone masts and councillors were asked if the authority could monitor the levels of signal intensity from the masts.

Last Wednesday council leader Clyde Loakes said that the issue of phone masts was a national problem due to the increasing number of people using mobile phones.

He said he could not justify using thousands of pounds of council tax money to get a High Court order to overturn planning permission allowing phone masts to be put up.

Cllr Marion Fitzgerald said: "These masts are going up everywhere but if we took these cases to the High Court they would be shot down in flames.

"The council is doing as much as it can about it.

"But we need the input of all of you to help us when the applications come through."

Jun 2 2005

Birmingham Post

Port Vale Football Club is adding a second mobile phone mast to its ground to help to pay for new floodlighting.

The 24-metre high mast, comprising of six antenna, will be fixed on a new 34 metre floodlight pylon at the Vale Park ground.

Permission for the 3G mast was granted yesterday by Stoke on Trent City Council Development and Control Committee.

Port Vale club secretary, Bill Lodey, said they had received no letters of complaint about mobile phone equipment already installed at the ground, or protests about their plans for more.

But a spokeswoman for campaign group Mast Sanity claimed the profusion of masts in built up regions presented health risks to vulnerable sections of society.

Mr Lodey said the club had received planning permission four years ago to install a mast at the ground but the telecommunications company involved had changed its mind.

He said O2 had "come to an agreement" with the club to part finance the cost of installing the new floodlights in return for mobile phone equipment being housed there.

"We already have equipment on the floodlight tower we are replacing. It has been with us for two years and we haven't had any adverse letters or phone calls now or in the past. There is mobile phone equipment all over the maternity hospital roof."

DETERMINED residents have won their battle against plans to build a mobile phone mast in the heart of their community.

Mobile phone operator Hutchinson 3G proposed to build a 15-metre mast within K’s Nursery, Parkgate Road , Saughall.

But the plans angered nearby residents, who believed that on top of alleged health risks, such a proposal would also have a severe impact on the value of their property.

They twice took to the street outside the proposed site in a bid to get the plans shelved.

And in a move that delighted them, planning officers at Chester City Council also objected.

Obtrusive

A spokesman said: “We objected to the plans, which is as good as a refusal. It is thought it would adversely affect the green belt and lead to loss of residential amenities. It was considered visually obtrusive.”

Campaigners welcomed the news. Parkgate Road resident Elaine Cowell said: “I am very, very pleased. We would have been very worried about our health if it had gone ahead.

“We don’t care if we don’t have a signal. We can all use landlines. Let’s just hope they do not win on appeal.”

K’s Nursery owner Richard Kunze, who had given the plans his blessing, said he did not wish to make a comment at this time.

A spokesman for Hutchinson 3G said: “We have received notification of the planning officer objection and are in the process of reviewing any future action.”

Jun 1 2005

By Neil Elkes, Evening Mail Birmingham

PARENTS and staff at a city school fear they are the victims of a "bury bad news" scandal over plans for a mobile phone mast.

Teachers at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, in Billesley, had only hours to notify parents and raise objections before the halfterm holiday.

They fear that the proposed 11.7m T-mobile mast may be a health risk to children and could be a blight on the Shire Country Park .

The park, known locally as the Dingles, was recently renamed The Shire after the picturesque land featured in Lord of Rings.

Head teacher Bernadette O'Shea sent a letter to parents just 48 hours before the school closed for half-term.

She said: "This is of great concern to us as a school as we have no evidence whether this installation will or will not be harmful to the children now or in the future."

Mrs O'Shea is urging parents to write to the planning department outlining their objections before next Wednesday's deadline.

She is worried the timing of the application just before half term may mean parents do not make their fears known to the council.

Birmingham City Council has planning guidance against siting masts within 200m of a school wherever possible, and this could fall foul of this.

The Government-backed Stewart Report recently urged caution over siting masts near to schools.

Although the same report, along with the mobile phone industry, concluded there is no evidence of a health risk.

http://www.slate.com/id/2119866/


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Cowbridge Today

ARGUMENTS over the siting of equipment for the new 3G telecommunication equipment continue to rage, and residents at The Heathers are angry about plans for the base station in the grounds of Barry College . Now, Vale MP John Smith has met with the residents to show his support for their campaign. He told The GEM: “My sympathies and concerns are with the residents who have already had to endure the siting of a mast in their midst. “I have lodged an objection in respect of the visual amenity of the site. I am aware that there are planning guidelines in place that permit this sort of development, but it is up to local planning authorities to take into account the fears and concerns of residents.” He added: “I will be writing to the mobile phone companies to make them aware of my concerns.” The battle lines remain between the companies, who say that they are operating well within safety margins - and opponents who claim that there is fresh scientific evidence casting doubt on the safety of masts. A spokesperson for Orange said: “It has been a long-standing Government policy objective to encourage telecommunications operators, wherever possible, to share masts and sites as a means of reducing overall mast numbers. “The reality is that the local community want to use mobile phones, and without masts the phones won’t work”. O2 and Vodaphone are proposing to site their equipment on the Orange-owned base station, after protestors opposed the erection of masts at Severn Avenue and Bryn Hafren comprehensive school. The spokesman added: “ Orange is aware of the anxiety the proposals are causing in the area and is planning to hold a drop-in session to discuss residents' concerns.” Mrs Angie Homer, a spokesperson for the residents at The Heathers, claimed that scientists were warning that the microwaves emitted by a 3G mast were “chronic invisible stressors that have the same adverse effects on the body as being continuously exposed to loud noise.” She claimed that existing guidelines did not take this into account.” She added: “We really don't know what the impact of this radiation is going to be or what it is going to be like after 10-20 years of regular use.”

http://www.freeliberal.com/archives/001104.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.techcentralstation.com/060105E.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3789


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

"Cloaked in myopic self-righteousness, the Bush administration is trying to make its gulag problem disappear by attacking Amnesty International. This isn't just blind and arrogant, it's harming the national interest." [subscription or ad view required] (06/02/05)

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2005/06/01/bush_and_torture/

from Salon, by Sidney Blumenthal


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=6185


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.lewrockwell.com/gregory/gregory78.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Jun 2 2005

By Adrian Short, Weekly News

MOBILE phone giant O2 has suffered defeat over the proposed siting of a controversial phone mast which Widnes residents believed would be a major eyesore and a potential health threat.

Since September last year, hundreds of residents have protested against the company's plans to construct a mast at the corner of Birch-field Road and Derby Road, opposite Widnes Cemetery.

But the company lodged an appeal with the Government's Planning Inspectorate after Halton Borough Council refused to give it the go-ahead.

The council has now claimed a victory for those who demanded the plans be thrown out.

A council spokeswoman said: 'The Planning Inspectorate agreed with the council that the proposal was not the best environmental option and like the council was not convinced that there was not a better alternative site in the vicinity.

'There had also been a large number of objections from local residents who were concerned about the possible effect on health.'

Cllr Rob Polhill, executive board member for the planning transportation and regeneration, said: 'The council's position on telecommunications masts is very clear - we will always work to ensure that the best environmental option is secured within the Government guidelines and in this case we were successful.'

Since the planning application was first handed to the council a series of objection campaigns were launched on the grounds of 'visual amenity' and the mast's potential for harming human health.

Protesters stressed concern that the combined radiation from the mast and two others nearby could have a greater health impact.

Residents say the borough already has enough masts but believe O2 is still determined to construct more Third Generation masts in other parts of Widnes.

HEISSES EISEN „MOBILFUNK“ „Hofer Appell“: 64 Mediziner aus der Stadt und Umgebung trugen sich in Unterschriftslisten ein

Ärzte fordern: „Stoppt den Ausbau!“

In Hof formiert sich neuer Widerstand gegen den Ausbau des Mobilfunknetzes. Ärztinnen und Ärzte wollen ihre Unterschriften zu einem „Hofer Appell“ bündeln und damit auf Politiker, Wissenschaftler und Verantwortliche des Gesundheitswesens einwirken, dem „Schutz von Leben und Gesundheit von uns allen wieder gebührenden, grundgesetzlich garantierten Wert einzuräumen und sofort zu handeln“. Nach Aussage von Jürgen Stietzel, einem Sprecher der Ärzteinitiative, haben sich bislang 64 Mediziner aus Hof und Umgebung in die Listen eingetragen.

HOF – „Wir Ärzte sind nicht gegen Handys, jeder von uns hat eines“, sagt Jürgen Stietzel, niedergelassener Arzt in Hof. „Aber wir sind gegen eine Ausweitung der Mobilfunktechnologie.“ Seiner Meinung nach häufen sich in jüngster Zeit , spätestens aber seit dem Zeitpunkt, als die „Nailaer Studie“ vorgestellt wurde, die Hinweise oder gar wissenschaftlichen Nachweise, dass die Mobilfunktechnologie für den Menschen ungesund oder gar schädlich sei.

Deshalb lautet die erste Forderung im Hofer Appell auch so:

„Kein freiwilliger Ausbau der Mobilfunktechnologie, denn es handelt sich um unfreiwillig eingegangene Risiken mit dauerhaften Belastungen“.

Die gepulsten hochfrequenten elektromagnetischen Felder von Mobilfunkanlagen, aber auch von schnurlosen Telefonen und Notebooks mit so genannten WLAN-Karten können bei Menschen, die dafür besonders empfänglich sind, zu einem bisher unbekannten Krankheitsbild mit charakteristischem Symptomenkomplex führen.

Dies ist das Ergebnis einer gerade ausgewerteten ärztlichen Erhebung in Oberfranken, als 356 Personen einer häuslichen Langzeitbelastung unterzogen wurden. Das Ergebnis dieser Untersuchung, die Jürgen Stietzel unserer Zeitung zur Verfügung stellte, besagt, dass Menschen an einem, mehreren oder vielen der folgenden Symptome leiden können: Schlafstörungen, Müdigkeit, Kopfschmerzen, Unruhe, Benommenheit, Reizbarkeit, Konzentrationsstörungen, Vergesslichkeit, Wortfindungsstörungen, depressive Stimmung, Ohrgeräusche, Hörverlust, Hörsturz, Schwindel, Nasenbluten, Sehstörungen, häufige Infekte, Nebenhöhlenentzündungen, Gelenk- und Gliederschmerzen, Nerven- und Weichteilschmerzen, Taubheitsgefühl, Hautveränderungen, Herzrhythmusstörungen, Blutdruckerhöhung (anfallsweise), Hormonstörungen, Gewichtszunahme, nächtliches Schwitzen und Übelkeit.

„Wir wollen und werden als niedergelassene Ärzte darauf achten, ob Beschwerden unserer Patienten mit Mobilfunk, DECT-Telefonen oder Notebooks mit WLAN zusammenhängen können“, sagte Jürgen Stietzel im Gespräch mit unserer Zeitung.


Da Menschen schon bei relativ geringer Belastungen erkranken können, heißt die zweite Forderung der Hofer Ärzte:

„Massive Reduzierung der Grenzwerte, Sendeleistungen und Funkbelastungen“. Die Mediziner vertreten die Ansicht, dass nach den neuesten Erhebungen Mobilfunkanlagen, in deren Umfeld Menschen mit mehr als 10 µW/m² belastet werden, abgeschaltet werden müssten, denn schon ab diesem Wert wurden Beschwerden bei Menschen festgestellt.

In ihrem „Hofer Appell“ setzen sich die Ärzte aber auch dafür ein, dass die Verbraucher mehr über Handys und schnurlose Telefone erfahren. Deshalb wird gefordert:

„Aufklärung der Bevölkerung und speziell der Handynutzer über die Gesundheitsrisiken elektromagnetischer Felder“ und „Förderung des bewussten Umgangs mit Mobilfunk, Nutzungseinschränkungen für Kinder und Jugendliche“. So sei es eben auch ein Wunsch der Hofer Mediziner, dass zum Beispiel in Schulen keine Notebooks mit WLAN-Karten angeschafft werden. Wenn nämlich zum Beispiel Männer über einen längeren Zeitraum mit dem Laptop auf dem Schoß arbeiten (Stietzel: „Das ist eigentlich die typische Position!“), dann könne, wie es der Allgemeinarzt salopp ausdrückt, die „gesamte Familienplanung über den Haufen geworfen werden“.

Zur Aufklärung gehört ferner, den Menschen klar zu machen, dass schnurlose DECT-Telefone nicht nur dann strahlen, wenn damit gesprochen wird, sondern die ganze Zeit über. Dabei gäbe es technisch durchaus Alternativen. Die letzte Forderung im Hofer Appell lautet daher:

„Überarbeitung der DECT-Standorte für Schnurlos-Telefone mit dem Ziel, die Strahlungsintensität zu reduzieren und auf die tatsächliche Nutzungszeit zu begrenzen sowie die biologisch kritische Pulsung zu vermeiden“.

64 Mediziner aus Hof und Umgebung haben sich seit Oktober vergangenen Jahres in die im Umlauf befindlichen Listen eingetragen, eine weitere liegt noch im Hofer Klinikum aus. Stietzel ist der festen Überzeugung, dass sich noch mehr Ärzte diesem Forderungskatalog anschließen werden. Dieser soll dann erst einmal Kommunalpolitikern übergeben werden, damit diese den „Hofer Appell“ an die Entscheidungsträger „weitertragen“ können. Die Ärzte hoffen ferner, dass das Volksbegehren „Für Gesundheitsvorsorge beim Mobilfunk“ – die Eintragungsfrist geht hier vom 5. bis 18. Juli – Erfolg hat. mavie

Nicht nur Mobilfunkmasten, sondern auch schnurlose DECT-Telefonen und Notebooks mit WLAN-Karten strahlen hochfrequente, elektromagnetische Felder aus. Deshalb fordern die Hofer Ärzte eine bessere Aufklärung der Bevölkerung. FOTOS: dpa / mavie


http://www.frankenpost.de/nachrichten/regional/resyart.phtm?id=803891


Nachricht von der BI Bad Dürkheim

President George W. Bush has failed to attend the funeral of a any Afghanistan War or Iraq War veteran. However, "Perhaps all presidents' remarks in military graveyards [on Memorial Day] are by nature self-serving. But few have been so callow as the president's using the deaths of U.S. troops in his unjustified war as justification for its continuance."

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=3432

http://www.examiner.ie/pport/web/opinion/Full_Story/did-sgG8h3ZiDdIQMsg7IQHSmeYhNE.asp

05/05/05

After all the recent tragedies, why are environmental factors ignored by mental health experts?

EVERY suicide is a tragedy. The ones left behind are stigmatised. Psychologists find an explanation in underlying depression. But what causes depression? Depression is a mental disorder.

Do we have to blame ourselves only for not coping with stress, for being sad, or are there any factors other than our personalities?

I suffer from multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), a condition in which the blood-brain barrier is permanently broken down, so that even the smallest traces of chemicals can cause severe symptoms like headaches, tremors, insomnia, disequilibrium, etc.

A year ago I spent a day in east Cork.

The wind blew from Cork Harbour, the air was full of poison and within two hours I was in a state of fear and hopelessness.

This area is north-east of Ringaskiddy, where there are not only chemical and pharmaceutical companies but also at least five toxic waste on-site incinerators.

With prevailing south-westerly winds a lot of emissions, like dioxin, furans and other neurotoxins reach east Cork.

As | also suffer from electro-hypersensitivity (EHS), I noticed extremely high electromagnetic radiation.

In Ireland the general levels of electromagnetic radiation are far higher than on the continent.

There are three mobile phone masts visible in Midleton, two within a 400m radius.

Microwaves from mobile phones and masts break down the blood-brain barrier, creating conditions like MCS with chemicals crossing the barrier, causing severe symptoms, among them confusion, irritability and depression.

In all the recent articles on the epidemic of suicides in Ireland, many possible reasons were given, but not a single article at least to my knowledge has mentioned any environmental factors.

How could all the mental health specialists forget about the one important change in Irish society in the past 30 years the setting up of many multinational chemical and pharmaceutical companies in the Cork Harbour region, lax environmental laws and lax law enforcement?


Dorothee Krien
Roxelerstr. 26 D-48301
Nottuln-Schapdetten
Germany


Informant: Sylvie

http://tinyurl.com/9bz3f


Informant: Sylvie

HLV INFO 81 /AT

1-06-2005

Liebe Leserschaft,

in den nächsten Wochen erscheint ein neues Buch zur Mobilfunkthematik. Der nachfolgende Vorspann trifft den Nagel auf den Kopf und verspricht eine spannende und aktuelle Lektüre.


HLV
Alfred Tittmann


Webmaster 1-06-05

Karl Richter/ / Hermann Wittebrock (HRSG)

Kommerz Gesundheit und demokratische Kultur
Gewinner und Verlierer in einer Modellregion des Mobilfunks

Während sich die wissenschaftlichen Hinweise auf schwerwiegende Gefährdungen kontinuierlich verdichten, werden mit der Ausbreitung der UMTS- Technik immer mehr Mobilfunk-Antennen mitten in Wohngebiete gestellt. Am Beispiel des Saarlandes, das zu einem Modelland des Mobilfunks gemacht werden soll, zeigt das vorliegende Buch aber auch modellhaft die einhergehende Verwilderung demokratischer Kultur.

Es informiert über jenen Teil wissenschaftlicher Wahrheit, der von den Verantwortlichen ignoriert oder der Bevölkerung verschwiegen wird, um eine von wirtschaftlich Interessen dominierte Politik durchzusetzen. Es macht die Verabschiedung demokratischer Grundwerte und die politische Ausbürgerung gesellschaftlicher Verantwortung bewusst. Es verfolgt die Unterwanderung der Demokratie durch kommerzielle Interessen bis hinein in wissenschaftlich unseriöse Grenzwerte, auf die sich dann Politiker, ihre Berater, aber auch Gerichte stützen.

Das Bündnis von Regierungen mit der Mobilfunkindustrie und ihrem Kapital hat zu Verflechtungen geführt, die dem demokratischen Auftrag von Transparenz und Unabhängigkeit widersprechen. Es hat einen gewaltigen politischen Stil hervorgebracht, der das demokratische Gemeinwesen schädigt und immer mehr Bürgern das Gefühl gesellschaftlicher Geborgenheit nimmt.

Ein erheblicher Teil der Bevölkerung wird gezwungen, mit seiner gesundheitlichen Gefährdung und Wertminderungen von Wohnungen und Häusern die Zeche für die Gewinne der Nutznießer zu bezahlen – ein einzigartiger gesundheits- und politischer Skandal unserer Nachkriegsgeschichte!

Röhrig Universitätsverlag GMBH
Postf. 1806 - 66368 St. Ingbert
http://www.roehrig-verlag.de

Broschur 168 S., 2 Abb., ISBN 3-86110-394-X 15,--€

Telegraph and Post 1/6/05

Telecommunications firm O2 Airwave has abandoned controversial plans to erect two flagpole antennae on top of the Carnoustie Golf Course Hotel.

Angus councillors had recently admitted defeat in the fight against TETRA technology being placed on top of the hotel.

O2 Airwave gained planning permission for the site after winning the backing of the Scottish Executive following the local authority’s failure to determine its planning application last year.

But the company revealed this week the hotel site was “no longer a plausible proposition” and it had identified a new site near Pitskelly Farm.

Ryan Stinson, acquisition agent for Airwave, said, “After many months of frustrating investigations, we believe we have, in consultation with the local planning department, discovered a new, even more suitable site that not only provides the necessary radio coverage but also offers little visual impact on the residents of Carnoustie.”

The proposed location of the 30-metre lattice mast is within a band of trees on the farm’s southern boundary.

“The trees surrounding the site are approximately 25-27 metres in height and will provide screening of the structure when viewed from Carnoustie and the surrounding area,” Mr Stinson said.

He said the site was surrounded by agricultural land and would offer very little visual intrusion to surrounding properties.

Last posted: Wednesday 1 June 2005 16:33

Bolton Evening News

CALLS are being made for mobile phone mast applications in Bolton to be suspended until the outcome of a new investigation into any hazards they pose is known.

Cllr Carl Dennis wants a freeze on all applications to erect masts across the borough.

He made the call after three new bids were lodged to build phone masts in his Harper Green ward.

Cllr Dennis has backed campaigns opposing each of the masts over fears that they could impact on the health of people living nearby.

He said: "We should not be granting permission to build these things close to homes and schools when we do not know how dangerous they could be. I understand that people use mobiles and that they need masts, but I believe we should try and put them as far away from people's homes as possible."

T-Mobile has applied to erect a mast in Highfield Road outside John's Chippy and Vodaphone wants to build a mast outside the Conservative Club in Plodder Lane .

Rival firm O2 has appealed to the Secretary of State against Bolton Council's planning committee's decision to refuse its application for a mast outside the Flying Shuttle pub, also in Highfield Road .

The two new applications are due to be heard by the councillors over the next few weeks, but current planning rules prevent members of the committee from rejecting the schemes on safety grounds.

Cllr Dennis, who is a governor at the Highfield Community Primary School , near to the proposed mast sites, said: "We all have concerns over the health risks involved with these masts, but can do nothing about it. I would like to see all applications held over until the outcome of this Government investigation into the safety of masts is completed."

But Cllr David Wilkinson, executive member for environment at Bolton Council, said: "There are lingering doubts over the safety of these masts but we have to abide by the law.

"What Cllr Dennis is asking for would require the Government to introduce a major change in planning rules because at the moment they tell us we should be prepared to support the installation of phone masts."

PETER WALSH
01 June 2005 12:04

Norwich Evening News

Phone mast campaigners fear their campaign to get a controversial phone mast removed is faltering.

Families living in the shadow of the O2 Airwave mast on top of North Walsham police station have been invited to a private meeting in the town to gauge the level of support for continuing their High Court battle.

Matthew Pennington, a member of the Campaign Against Tetra Siting (CATS), said: "I fear we're on a hiding to nothing at the moment. I can't see how we're going to be successful at the moment — that's what we've got to debate about.

"Hopefully we will get together most of the people who are opposing the mast.

"My only big concern is that no masts are being refused anywhere in the country at the moment."

Mr Pennington, 42, who lives with his wife Rachel Kirk and son Henry, three, said they hoped to find out more news from a barrister about the strength of their case before today's meeting took place.

He added: "I would wish to find out from the community whether they are prepared to back this or not and how much money they might be willing to put forward.

"If we get the barrister's opinion then we will know if we have a legal case worth trying to pursue."

Even if the campaigners were told they did have a case, Mr Pennington said the problem would be in trying to establish how much of a case they had.

"It might be very hard to get some idea of what sort of likelihood they would give us of being successful," he said.

"One of the problems is if we don't get Legal Aid we also get stuck with the costs from the other side."

In March, the Evening News reported how campaigners planned to take their battle against the mast, which will serve the emergency services, to the High Court.

The news came just a month after members of North Norfolk District Council said they would have to back down on plans to take court action partly due to the high cost.

A London barrister told council leaders chances of success were slim and a loss in court could lay the council open to substantial costs.

But the campaigners have found an environmental solicitor in Cambridge who is willing to take their case.

Phone company O2 has been involved in a long-running battle with campaigners over the siting of the mast on Yarmouth Road .

Last year North Norfolk district councillors refused planning permission and ordered O2 Airwave to stop using the equipment because of a feared risk to public health and a breach of planning control.

But the planning inspectorate allowed an O2 appeal in January, which enabled the mast to be switched back on, saying the council did not provide compelling reasons for withholding planning permission.

· Are you battling plans to site a phone mast in your neighbourhood? Call Peter Walsh at the Evening News on (01603) 772439 or email peter.walsh@archant.co.uk

South Wales Guardian 01/06/05

AN AMMANFORD pensioner has hit out at town councillors for failing to object to plans for a mobile phone mast in the town.

The pensioner, who does not want to be named, feels councillors should have consulted residents before telling Hutchinson 3G they had no objections to proposals.

"According to Paul Cutler, the surveyor involved with the proposed development, several bodies were consulted, including Carmarthenshire Council, Ammanford Town Council and our county councillor Hugh Evans," she said

"I am flabbergasted to think elected officials could take it upon themselves to speak for the people of Ammanford, without consultation.

"I hope it is not too late for both councils to offer objections."

At a town council meeting last week officials took the decision to write to Crown Castle, which is responsible for the installation of the mast at the former BT exchange on Heol Wallasey.

Councillor Jane Potter said she is very concerned the mast does not need planning permission.

She said: "I do feel this is a cause for concern.

"More than £7 million has been spent on research into the effects of the masts. Research does suggest the rays are harmful.

"I have advised those who have concerns to write to Carmarthenshire Council, Crown Castle and Hutchinson G3."

County councillor Hugh Evans said: "I have written to Crown Castle expressing the concerns of the residents. The problem is they don't need to submit an application to install the mast."

by Amnesty International

Amnesty International USA's director delivers a blistering response to Dick Cheney's dismissal of Amnesty's latest report.
http://www.tompaine.com/pass/

"It doesn't matter whether he takes Amnesty International seriously. He doesn't take torture seriously; he doesn't take the Geneva Convention seriously; he doesn't take due process rights seriously; and he doesn't take international law seriously."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/30/cheney.amnestyintl/index.html

—William Schulz, executive director of Amnesty International USA, in response to Vice President Dick Cheney's comment that he wasn't putting much weight on Amnesty's criticism of U.S. treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

If you're sick of the Army's heavy-handed recruitment tactics -- which most recently include video games -- there's a way to take action.

http://tompaine.com/uncommonsense/index.php#5070

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/05/31/globalization_game/

by Clyde Prestowitz, The Boston Globe

Globalization is broken. With three billion low-wage workers entering the market, collapse is just a matter of time.

Source: http://www.tompaine.com/

by Tom Barry, TomPaine.com

A team of foreign policy experts says a strong set of principles will keep America more secure than Bush's opaque agenda has.

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050601/ethical_national_security.php

Random Acts Of Corporate Responsibility
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/20050531/random_acts_of_corporate_responsibility.php

Here is a campaign to harrass the CEO of EXXONMOBIL, rightfully so!
Sign and send letter at:
http://ga3.org/campaign/exxonmobil/


Informant: Hopedance

Telepolis über Bilderberg:
http://www.heise.de/tp/r4/artikel/4/4258/1.html

Alles, was über die Bilderberger rausgefunden wurde:
http://www.bilderberg.org

Wikipedia-Artikel:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilderberg

http://hnn.us/articles/12185.html:

(mopo) CDU-Wahrheitsoffensive - Bürgermeister Ole von Beust schenkt den Wählern reinen Wein ein »Es wird eine harte Zeit mit großen Opfern«.

http://rs.net-hh.de/redir.php?referer=&url=http%3A%2F%2Farchiv.mopo.de%2Farchiv%2F2005%2F20050531%2Fnachrichten%2Fhamburg%2Fpolitik_wirtschaft%2Fhmp2005053018402841.html&user=

Zur Sprache der vollständigen Okkupation des Individuums. Die Bundesagentur für Arbeit und die Produktion „marktfähiger“ Individuen.

Artikel von Antonín Dick
http://www.labournet.de/diskussion/arbeit/realpolitik/zwang/okkupation.html

Es handelt sich hierbei um einen Kommentar zu: „Beschäftigungsorientiertes Fallmanagement im SGB II“ - betreutes Privatleben? Unser Special zum Fachkonzept „Beschäftigungsorientiertes Fallmanagement im SGB II“. Dies gilt auch für:

Kein Hartz IV-Geld für'n Schnaps
Arbeitslosen mit psychischen und Suchtproblemen drohen Sanktionen: Hartz-Gesetz verlangt von Hilfsdiensten Offenlegung sensibelster Daten, um "Leistungsmissbrauch" zu stoppen. Wer Hilfe verweigert oder Geld versäuft, dem droht Stützekürzung. Artikel von Eva Weikert in der taz vom 30.05.2005

http://www.taz.de/pt/2005/05/30/a0050.nf/textdruck


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 1

Hauptsache, nicht krank

„Durch die Hartz-Reformen steigt die Zahl der Menschen ohne Krankenversicherung: Sie verlieren schnell jeden Schutz, und nur wenige Ärzte kümmern sich um sie…“ Artikel von Sebastian Jost in der Süddeutschen Zeitung vom 27.05.2005.

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/artikel/865/53812/


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 1

... und auch sonst nirgendwo hin

„Für Bochum ist geplant 150 Alg II-Empfänger an Bochumer Schulen in der sog. allgemeinen und pädagogischen Schulassistenz einzusetzen. Dies ist "der bisher massivste Angriff auf soziale und arbeitsrechtliche Standards" (Norbert Müller, stellv. Vorsitzender der GEW NRW). Zurzeit dürften etwa 80 davon bereits eingesetzt sein. Ich möchte im Folgenden einen kurzen Überblick über die rechtlichen Voraussetzungen für diese Arbeitsgelegenheiten liefern sowie eine persönliche politische Einschätzung abgeben….“ Artikel von Thilo Sommer, GEW Bochum

http://www.gew-bochum.de/mitte/eineuro.html


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 1

„Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, seit Anfang dieses Jahres meldet Nürnberg jeden Monat aufs Neue Zahlen über die Entwicklung der Arbeitslosigkeit in einer Art und Weise, welche nicht nur juristisch angreifbar ist, sondern auch als verfassungswidrig eingestuft werden kann. Konkret werden Arbeitslose in den sog. „Arbeitsgelegenheiten“ nicht mehr als arbeitslos gerechnet, woraus der naheliegende Schluss gezogen werden muss, dass die BA die zwangsweise in „Arbeitsgelegenheiten“ geschobenen Arbeitslosen auch nicht mehr vermitteln will, da ja - laut Nürnberger - nicht mehr arbeitslos…“ Schreiben von Armin Kammrad an den Petitionausschuß des Deutschen Bundestages vom 29. Mai 2005.

http://www.labournet.de/diskussion/arbeit/realpolitik/hilfe/kammradpet1.html


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 1

Jobben ohne Job - Weiterentwicklung der Ein-Euro-Arbeitsgelegenheiten durch sogenannte Qualifizierungskurse ohne Lehrpersonal. Hauptsache, die Kasse stimmt.

„Der Ein-Euro-Irrsinn kennt keine Grenzen. Während sich Meldungen häufen, daß Kriterien der Zusätzlichkeit kaum beachtet werden, somit reguläre Arbeitsplätze gefährdet sind, gibt es in Hamburg nun Ein-Euro-Jobs auch ohne Job…“ Artikel von Andreas Grünwald in junge Welt vom 30.05.2005.

http://www.jungewelt.de/2005/05-30/017.php


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 1

Außer Kontrolle - Die so genannten Ein-Euro-Jobs werden in vielen Fällen missbraucht - ver.di zieht nun vor Gericht.

„Die Schaffung der so genannten Ein-Euro-Jobs läuft in hohem Maße unkontrolliert durch die Bundesagentur für Arbeit ab. In vielen örtlichen Arbeitsgemeinschaften (ARGE), die für die Umsetzung des Gesetzes zuständig sind, gehe es "drunter und drüber", berichtet ver.di-Referent Bernhard Jirku. Karl Obermann, Sprecher der Bundesfachgruppe Arbeitsverwaltung bei ver.di, spricht von sehr unterschiedlichen Zuständen. "Es gibt die Einrichtungen, die klare Standards für Arbeitsgelegenheiten formuliert haben und jene, die mit der Situation überfordert sind - oder politischen Forderungen nachgeben." Das Problem: Die gesetzlichen Vorgaben aus dem Wirtschaftsministerium sind so schwammig formuliert, dass in der Praxis Missbrauch kaum unterbunden werden kann. So bleibt, was ein Ein-Euro-Job sein darf, interpretierbar. Uwe Nebel, stellvertretender Leiter der Bochumer ARGE, bestätigt: "In den verschiedenen Arbeitsgemeinschaften bestehen unterschiedliche Auffassungen, was als Ein-Euro-Job gefördert werden kann oder nicht…." Artikel von Uta Andresen in ver.di-publik 06/07.2005

http://www.verdi-publik.de/verdi_publik_wcms/fmpro?-db=verdi_publik_wcms.fp5&-lay=eingabe&-format=text.html&-error=fehler.html&-recid=38442&-find


Aus: LabourNet Nachrichtensammlung, Band 26, Eintrag 1

Cell phones and brain tumors in page 1-2 (text by Stefan Lonn)
look also at the experts opinions on pages 4-5

http://www.braintumor.org/pservices/pdfarchive/05searchsp.pdf


Informant: Iris Atzmon

http://www.sierratimes.com/05/05/31/jud5-31-05.htm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20050530-094028-9338r.htm


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.strike-the-root.com/51/newman/newman7.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/053105A.shtml


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://tinyurl.com/bcfa8


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

Salon

by Tim Grieve

05/31/05

George W. Bush hasn't authorized or covered up any two-bit break-ins, at least as far as we know. And if they're still making tapes in the Oval Office, they're probably not quite as colorful as the ones that ultimately forced Nixon to resign. But Bush and his administration are certainly guilty of other offenses, and some of them would seem to rise to the level of what the Constitution calls 'high crimes and misdemeanors.' This should go without saying, but apparently it doesn't: If lying about a blow job is an impeachable offense, then what can be said about telling lies that led a country into war? [subscription or ad view required]

http://tinyurl.com/7urbd


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,157960,00.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://www.freeliberal.com/archives/001101.html


Informant: Thomas L. Knapp

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=642847


From Oly Ecology Center

May 31, 2005

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY

Dear Citizens' Initiative ,

We know your motives in working for peace are pure, but what if we added a little spice to the mix? How about this: You get your representative to call for an exit strategy for our troops in Iraq, and we'll give you your very own exit strategy -- i.e. a free weekend in Mexico! We have lots of other wild and wonderful prizes as well.

So here's the deal . Remember the amendment by Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (House Resolution 35) calling on Bush to bring the troops home as soon as possible ? So far, only 32 congress people have signed on, and we've got to change that. From May 31 to June 3, CODEPINK joins other peace and social justice groups in a national week long write-in/call-in campaign to hold our elected officials accountable for their vote on the $82 billion for continued war in Iraq, as well as urging them to sign-on to Lynn Woolsey's Resolution (H. Con. Res. 35) calling for the immediate withdrawal of our troops from Iraq.

Congress is in recess this week (May 31-June 3) and all the members are back home. It's the perfect time to go to their local office and insist that they sign on to Resolution 35 calling on the President to develop and implement a plan to begin the immediate withdrawal of US Armed Forces from Iraq. And if you can't get to their office or they are not home, call and send an email.....early and often.

For many of you, this will be a piece of cake. Over 100 reps signed on to a very similar amendment in the Defense authorization bill last week, so they should sign onto this resolution, they just need more pressure from you.

For all the information you need click here:
http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=17491842&url_num=1&url=http://hq.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizations/codepink/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=792

To win one of the prizes, we need a photo of you (in pink , of course) WITH your rep while he/she is signing the resolution. We'll put it up on our website as an inspiration to all, and we'll give you a choice of prizes on a first-come first-served basis. You have until July 4 to get the signature. And...if you can't get your rep to sign on but you did an awesome job trying to convince them, send us photos of your valiant efforts and we might have a special prize for you as well. Send photos and emails to exitiraq@codepinkalert.org . The ultimate prize we're all working for is the day when all the troops are out of Iraq.

Who said activism can't be fun? So get ready, get set, and get going. Your weekend in Baja awaits you...

Dana, Farida, Gael, Jodie, Medea, Nancy, Rae, and Tiffany

BBC New Online 31st may 2005

Mobile phone operators have disputed safety fears about masts

A vicar has angered parishioners by supporting a plan to erect a mobile phone mast on a church spire.

The congregation has collected 500 signatures calling on the church to scrap the plan, which they say is inappropriate at a consecrated site.

But the Rev Elaine Bardwell says the mast at St Michael and All Angels in New Marston, Oxford, would help raise much-needed church funds.

The Oxford diocese says it is a parish matter that must be decided locally.

'Modern church'

Opponents of the plan say they are also concerned about the possible health impact of a mast, although risks have been disputed by mobile phone operators.

Rev Bardwell told the BBC: "We are a modern building, we are a modern church, we live in the real world and we think it is a good place for the mast.

"We have had a series of public meetings and listened to all the views expressed and will be keeping a very close eye on the health and safety issues involved."

Anne Furtado, who lives near the church, said: "More people have signed that petition than go to the church on a Sunday.

"I don't understand how they cannot pay any attention at all to what the people who have signed think."

http://peaceinspace.blogs.com/peaceinspaceorg/2005/05/us_house_of_rep.html

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - SPACE PRESERVATION ACT OF 2005 (H.R.2420)

STATUS UPDATES:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d109:3:./temp/~bdGN12::

SPACE PRESERVATION ACT OF 2005 (H.R.2420)

Title: To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind by prohibiting the basing of weapons in space and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] (introduced 5/18/2005) Cosponsors (34)

Latest Major Action: 5/18/2005 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

COSPONSORS(34), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date)

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 5/18/2005
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 5/18/2005
Rep Brown, Sherrod [OH-13] - 5/26/2005
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 5/18/2005
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 5/18/2005
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 5/18/2005
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 5/18/2005
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 5/26/2005
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 5/18/2005
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 5/18/2005
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 5/18/2005
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 5/18/2005
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 5/18/2005
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 5/18/2005
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 5/26/2005
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 5/18/2005
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 5/18/2005
Rep McKinney, Cynthia A. [GA-4] - 5/18/2005
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6] - 5/18/2005
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] - 5/18/2005
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 5/18/2005
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 5/18/2005
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 5/26/2005
Rep Owens, Major R. [NY-11] - 5/18/2005
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3] - 5/18/2005
Rep Sanders, Bernard [VT] - 5/26/2005
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 5/18/2005
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 5/18/2005
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 5/18/2005
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 5/26/2005
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 5/26/2005
Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] - 5/18/2005
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 5/18/2005
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 5/18/2005

STATUS UPDATES:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d109:3:./temp/~bdGN12::

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH:
STOP THE WEAPONIZATION OF SPACE -- (House of Representatives - May 19, 2005)

[Page: H3586] GPO's PDF CONGRESSIONAL RECORD

(Mr. KUCINICH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the administration, through senior Air Force officials, wants the U.S. to achieve military supremacy in outer space. Dominating all earth from outer space will have an out-of-world price tag, perhaps more than $1 trillion.

A question: Why reach for the stars with guns in our hands? Are there weapons of mass destruction on Mars?

Yesterday 28 Members of Congress signed on to H.R. 2420, a bill to stop the weaponization of space, urging the President to sign an international treaty to ban such weapons. If we work together towards creating peace on earth, we would not bring war to the high heavens.

While some fantasize about being ``masters of the universe,'' there are 45 million Americans without health insurance. Corporations are reneging on pension obligations. Social Security is under attack. We are headed towards a $400 billion annual budget deficit, a $600 billion trade deficit, an $8 trillion national debt. The cost of the war in Iraq is over $200 billion. While we build new bases in Iraq, we close them in the United States.

Earth to Washington, D.C. Earth to Washington, D.C. D.C., call home.

TEXT OF Space Preservation Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)

HR 2420 IH

109th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2420

To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind by prohibiting the basing of weapons in space and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 18, 2005

Mr. KUCINICH (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. HOLT, Mr. FATTAH, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. LEE, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. HINCHEY, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. STARK, Mr. OWENS, Mr. HONDA, Ms. WATERS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Ms. WATSON, Mr. FILNER, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. MEEKS of New York, and Mr. MCDERMOTT) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services and International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

A BILL

To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind by prohibiting the basing of weapons in space and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Space Preservation Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. REAFFIRMATION OF POLICY ON THE PRESERVATION OF PEACE IN SPACE.

Congress reaffirms the policy expressed in section 102(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451(a)), stating that it `is the policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.'.

SEC. 3. BAN ON BASING OF WEAPONS IN SPACE AND THE USE OF WEAPONS AGAINST OBJECTS IN SPACE IN ORBIT.

The President shall--

(1) implement a ban on space-based weapons of the United States and the use of weapons of the United States to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and

(2) immediately order the termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production, and deployment of all space-based weapons of the United States.

SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL TREATY BANNING SPACE-BASED WEAPONS AND THE USE OF WEAPONS AGAINST OBJECTS IN SPACE IN ORBIT.

The President shall direct the United States representatives to the United Nations and other international organizations to immediately work toward negotiating, adopting, and implementing an international treaty banning space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

The President shall submit to Congress not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter, a report on--

(1) the implementation of the ban on space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit required by section 3; and

(2) progress toward negotiating, adopting, and implementing the treaty described in section 4.

SEC. 6. SPACE-BASED NONWEAPONS ACTIVITIES.

Nothing in this Act may be construed as prohibiting the use of funds for--

(1) space exploration;

(2) space research and development;

(3) testing, manufacturing, or production that is not related to space-based weapons or systems; or

(4) civil, commercial, or defense activities (including communications, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early warning, or remote sensing) that are not related to space-based weapons or systems.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) The term `space' means all space extending upward from an altitude greater than 110 kilometers above the surface of the earth and any celestial body in such space.

(2) The terms `space-based weapon' and `space-based system' mean a device capable of damaging or destroying an object or person (whether in outer space, in the atmosphere, or on Earth) by--

(A) firing one or more projectiles to collide with that object or person;

(B) detonating one or more explosive devices in close proximity to that object or person; or

(C) any other undeveloped means.



SIGN OUR U.N. PETITION TO BAN WEAPONS AND WARFARE IN SPACE
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/832338563

Campaign for Cooperation in Space
http://www.peaceinspace.org


From ICIS-Institute for Cooperation in Space

The following are a few of many issues which should have rung alarm bells in the lead up to the war.

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3504


From Information Clearing House

Behind a surprisingly thin cover of rural hideaways, front companies and shell corporations that share officers who appear to exist only on paper, the CIA has rapidly expanded its air operations since 2001 as it has pursued and questioned terrorism suspects around the world.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8986.htm

The bitter debate about John Bolton's nomination to the United Nations may have called unwelcome attention to the spying practices of the National Security Agency. Bolton told Congress last month that he asked the NSA for the names of Americans in raw intel reports. NSA rules prohibit the agency from spying on Americans

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/05-29-2005/0003734580&EDATE=


From Information Clearing House

The New Great Game: Blood and Oil In Central Asia:

Crude oil, once seen as a wealth-creating blessing for mankind, is fast turning into the “devil’s tears”. The struggle to control the world’s remaining energy reserves increasingly culminates in bloody conflicts and the killing of innocent civilians, with the war in Iraq only being the latest example.

http://www.newgreatgame.com/


From Information Clearing House

A total of 215 Latino soldiers serving in the U.S. army have already died in Iraq, but according to anti-war activists, this bad news comes with a silver lining: an ever smaller number of young people of Latin American descent are enlisting in the armed forces.

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=28887


From Information Clearing House

Dahr Jamail Back in the area after a brief US visit, hear Dahr's latest astounding update --with Fintan Dunne.

Audio file
http://www.kathymcmahon.utvinternet.com/mrn/audio/InsideTrackNews050530a.mp3
http://snipurl.com/f9wa


From Information Clearing House

"I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency." Vice President Dick Cheney; assessing the strength of the insurgency on CNN's Larry King 5-30-05

by Mike Whitney

It's clear now that the size and strength of the insurgency has surpassed all the previous predictions and that the civilian leadership of the occupation forces is lashing out in desperation to quell the violence. Iraq has quickly degenerated into the most poorly executed military campaign in American history.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8990.htm