23.11.06

Sufferers like Kate Figes say wi-fi leaves them feeling exhausted, nauseous and sleepless

It is the hi-tech tool that has revolutionised home and office alike - but a growing band of campaigners claim wi-fi is a major threat to health.

Sufferers say the electro-magnetic waves emitted by wireless computer networks - wi-fi - leave them feeling exhausted, nauseous and sleepless.

Author Kate Figes, spent hundreds of pounds installing wireless internet in her Stoke Newington home, then found it made her so ill she had to scrap it.

Ms Figes, 49, claims she is so sensitive to wi-fi's electro-magnetic waves she can instantly tell whether it is installed in a particular room.

This comes days after campaigners called for parents to remove the system from their homes to prevent harming their children's health.

Ms Figes said: "The day we installed wi-fi two years ago was the day I started to feel ill. At first I could not work out what the problem was. I had no idea why I felt so sick and run-down. But I knew that when I walked through the front door it felt like walking into a cloud of poison.

"Imagine being prodded all over your body by 1,000 fingers. That is what I felt when I walked into the house... Then I started to think it might be the wi-fi, so we scrapped it - and I felt better."

She added: "Most people I've spoken are really dismissive, but I don't think they've considered the long-term impact of this technology." The mother-of-two is just one of many people who contacted campaigning group ElectroSensitivityUK about their fears over the harmful effects of wi-fi.

A spokesman for the group said: "We've been inundated by calls from people who know this is affecting them, but in many cases are wary of speaking out. The telecommunications companies pour scorn, but none of them has been able to prove wi-fi is safe."

But Chris Guy, head of Reading University's School of Systems Engineering said: "The amount of power emitted by wi-fi devices is about a tenth of that given out by mobile phones. It is very, very unlikely that it is harmful because the power levels are so low. I just do not believe wi-fi is damaging people's health."

© 2006 Associated Newspapers Ltd

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23375600-details/Wireless+technology+made+me+sick/article.do


Evening standard article.

Angie



WiFi more

http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/kate_figes/2006/12/wifi_worries.html

Please add comments to Kate Figes new blog if you wish. There are loads of negative responses.

Best Wishes

Sarah



We really should get as many of our contacts as possible to add comments as its diabolical how anti- us they are.

Please pass to as many contacts as possible.

Cheers

Lisa


From Mast Sanity/Mast Network

--------

Letters please from ES affected people to the "Standard" in the UK because of ES victims of WiFi article

Dear all. There is a case going here now:

http://www.mast-victims.org/index.php?content=news&action=view&type=newsitem&id=1250

and the reporter has invited people to write in to: letters@standard.co.uk

Sylvie, you are ES in France, I am ES in Britain, Iris is ES in Israel, Robert is ES in Canada, loads of people, all over the world are ES because of masts and microwave radiation.

Please write him a letter of how you have been affected.

We All need to write him a letter of how we are affected.

I am sending this E-mail address to all you good people I know. FEB.se as well Frans and stopumts, as Omega news and EMFacts, next-up know Christine Kind and Marianne Buchmann in Germany, Shivani and Dr. Gerald Goldberg in the USA as well as Dr. Spadanuda and Electrosmog Voltutino Italy, and "Vores Børns fremtid" in Denmark and Kalle Hallberg in Sweden and Dr. Roy Kwabena in Trinidad. Still wonder if we are too few? We are getting more and more and more, much thanks for all your help and support. Let us go for them and show them how many we are, and everywhere in the world. Let us write a short letter. Many short letters

Best regards.
Agnes



Dear Agnes,

I have already sent The Standard, The Times and ThisisLondon each one a comment. I do hope they dare to use it!

Best regards

Yours Olle

(Olle Johansson, assoc. prof. The Experimental Dermatology Unit Department of Neuroscience Karolinska Institute
171 77 Stockholm Sweden)

--------

The HIGH COURT of Paola (ITALY) says NO to BTS-Base Transceiver Station for telephone
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/2996811/

--------

Health fears lead schools to dismantle wireless networks
http://freepage.twoday.net/stories/2957963/

Health risks of Wi-Fi and WLAN on our health
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1122031/

University without Wi-Fi
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/university_without_wi_fi.htm

WLAN, DECT in Schools and Kindergardens
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1579030/

WLAN Sickness: Rubbish or Reasonable?
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1692101/

Swedes hit hard by WiMAX waves
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/2163464/



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=wireless+networks
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wireless+networks
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=wi-fi
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wi-fi
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Fred+Gilbert
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Fred+Gilbert
Starmail - 23. Nov, 13:04 - bearbeiten

WiMAX could fry your brain. Or not

Wi-fi uproar continues

By INQUIRER staff
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?page=24&authorID=19

23 November 2006, 08:53

THE LETTER page of the London Times continues a debate on the alleged danger wireless networks pose to mankind.

See Schools ban wi-fi networks after safety fears.
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35837

Today, for example, the president of Lakeland University, Ontario, maintains that his campus banned wi-fi because evidence of physiological and behavioural evidence is compelling.

Fred Gilbert, the president of the university, said that 31 scientists have signed the Benevento Resolution which does recommend precautionary strategies to wireless systems.
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/benevento_resolution.pdf

According to this article on Treehugger, Gilbert thinks that electric and magnetic fields are likely to affect young people more than old codgers. He likens EMF fields to second hand tobacco and asbestos, which proved to be dangerous long after they were in wide use.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/02/a_univerisity_w.php

The Benevento Resolution said authorities should designate wi-fi free zones in cities, in schools, hospitals and on public transport systems.

Vendors of wi-fi systems and promoters of wi-fi and WiMAX systems have so far been curiously silent about the debate.

But senior Intel executive Sean Maloney told the INQ last year there is no evidence wireless transmissions have an effect on human tissue. See WiMAX masts pose no health risk, Intel says. µ
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=22494

Source: http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35922

© 2006 VNU Business Publications Ltd.

--------

Health fears lead schools to dismantle wireless networks
http://freepage.twoday.net/stories/2957963/

Health risks of Wi-Fi and WLAN on our health
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1122031/

University without Wi-Fi
http://www.buergerwelle.de/pdf/university_without_wi_fi.htm

WLAN, DECT in Schools and Kindergardens
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1579030/

WLAN Sickness: Rubbish or Reasonable?
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/1692101/

Swedes hit hard by WiMAX waves
http://omega.twoday.net/stories/2163464/



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=wireless+networks
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wireless+networks
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=wi-fi
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=wi-fi
http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=Fred+Gilbert
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Fred+Gilbert

Betreff: Funkturm-Umgebungsstudie aus Ägypten Nachricht

Die Redaktion des Newsletter gibt Ihnen heute eine Information aus der Lektüre medizinischer Fachliteratur des Jahres 2006 aus Ägypten weiter. Wir haben diesen englischen Artikel für Sie ins Deutsche übersetzen lassen.

Neuropsychologische Auswirkungen bei Menschen rund um Funktürme

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund: Grund zu der Annahme, dass hochfrequente elektromagnetische Strahlung von Funktürmen gesundheitsgefährdend auf das menschliche Nervensystem wirkt.

Ziel: Mögliche neuropsychologische Defizite bei Personen, die in der Nähe von Funktürmen leben, auszumachen.

Methodik: Es wurde eine Querschnittsstudie bei 85 Personen durchgeführt, die in der Nähe des ersten Funkturms im Gouvernorat Menoufiya in Ägypten leben. Während 37 Personen im Gebäude unter dem Funkturm leben, leben 48 gegenüber der Funkanlage. Eine Kontrollgruppe von 80 Personen wurde mit der bei dem Funkturm lebenden Gruppe auf Alter, Geschlecht, Beruf und Bildungsniveau abgeglichen. Zusätzlich zum Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) füllten alle Teilnehmer einen klar strukturierten Fragebogen aus, der Fragen über die persönliche Entwicklung, die Bildungs- und Krankengeschichte, Grund- und neurologische Untersuchungen und eine neuropsychologische Testbatterie [dies umfasst Tests zur visuell-motorischen Geschwindigkeit, Problemlösungen, Aufmerksamkeit und Gedächtnis] enthielt.

Ergebnisse: Die Prävalenz von neuropsychiatrischen Beschwerden wie Kopfschmerzen (23.5%), Veränderungen im Gedächtnis (28.2%), Schwindel (18.8%), Zucken (9.4%), Depressionen (21.7%) und Schlafstörungen (23.5%) waren bei den in Reichweite des Funkturms lebenden Personen deutlich höher als bei den Kontrollpersonen (10%), (5%), (5%), (0%), (8.8%) und (10%), jeweils (P < 0.05). Die neuropsychologische Testbatterie ergab, dass die in der Nähe des Funkturms lebenden Personen eine deutlich niedrigere Leistungsfähigkeit in einem der Aufmerksamkeits- und auditiven Kurzzeitgedächtnistest [Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT)] aufwiesen als die Kontrollpersonen. Die Personen, die gegenüber der Anlage lebten, wiesen weiterhin eine niedrigere Leistungsfähigkeit im Problemlösungstest (Block Design) als die Bewohner unter der Anlage auf. Alle Bewohner erbrachten bessere Leistungen in den beiden Tests zur visuell-motorischen Geschwindigkeit (Digit Symbol und Trailmaking B) und in einem der Aufmerksamkeitstests (Trailmaking A) als die Kontrollpersonen. Die zuletzt gemessenen Werte der hochfrequenten elektromagnetischen Strahlung des ersten Funkturms im Gouvernorat Menoufiya waren niedriger als die erlaubten Höchstwerte („Digital Symbol“ und „Trailmaking“ sind zwei spezielle Aufmerksamkeitsteste, d.Hrsg.).

Schlussfolgerungen und Empfehlungen: Personen, die in der Nähe von Funktürmen leben, können neuropsychiatrische Probleme entwickeln und sowohl positive als auch negative Veränderungen in ihrer Leistungsfähigkeit hinsichtlich der neuropsychologischen Funktionen erfahren. Deswegen wird eine Überarbeitung der offiziellen Richtlinien zur Exposition der Öffentlichkeit von hochfrequenter elektromagnetischer Strahlung von Funktürmen und die Benutzung einer neuropsychologischen Testbatterie zur regelmäßigen Bewertung und Früherkennung biologischer Effekte auf Bewohner rund um solcher Anlagen empfohlen.

Übersetzung des Originalartikels ins Englische von G. Abdel-Rassoul et al.

Neurobehavioral effects among inhabitants around mobile phone base stations, NeuroToxicology (2006), doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2006.07.012

G. Abdel-Rassoul *, O. Abou El-Fateh, M. Abou Salem, A. Michael, F. Farahat, M. El-Batanouny, E. Salem

Community, Environmental and Occupational Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufiya University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt

Eingang: 20 Oktober 2005; Veröffentlichung: 18 Juli 2006


Quelle: http://www.gladiss.de/newsletter/newsletterarchiv_anzeiger.php?id=84

Best regards.

Agnes


Marks & Spencer to extend RFID rollout

Retailer says stock accuracy on clothing items has improved

Dave Friedlos, 16 Nov 2006

Marks & Spencer (M&S) will begin the phased rollout of item-level radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in 2007 following more than a year of extensive testing of the technology.

The retailer plans to increase the number of stores that tag individual clothing items, including men’s suits and women’s casual wear, from 42 to 120 by next spring.

James Stafford, head of clothing RFID at M&S, says the company will also expand the number of clothing departments using the technology from six to 13 by autumn 2007, to improve efficiency and customer service.

‘Stock accuracy has improved and stores and customers have commented on the more consistent availability of sizes in the pilot departments,’ he said.

The retailer began tagging clothing, including men’s suits, trousers and jackets, and women’s suits, casual trousers and skirts, last year. This year it extended the trial to include its autumn and winter range, bringing the total number of tags used to more than 35 million.

The tags allow staff to carry out stocktaking more efficiently by passing an RFID reader over goods to determine what products need to be replaced. This has led to improved sales through greater product availability.

AMR Research analyst Nigel Montgomery says the full rollout will provide M&S with a significant competitive advantage.

‘This is proof that waiting until the technology is more mature is not necessarily the right strategy, as M&S opted to learn as the technology developed,’ he said. ‘But it went about the trials in a sensible way. It kept the scope of the trials tight, kept their expectations reasonable and did not jump too far ahead with the trials.’

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2168708/marks-spencer-extend-rfid



Marks & Spencer extends RFID trial

Retailer examines ways to improve service to customers

Retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) is to extend item-level trials of radio frequency identity (RFID) technology from nine to 53 of its UK stores.

The next phase will start in spring 2006, and see the company expanding use of the technology from men's suits to other products with availability issues - those with complex sizing structures such as bras, which have 68 different sizes.

M&S will also investigate how the technology can improve services to customers by integrating labels containing the RFID chip into traditional paper barcode labels that already contain information about the size and cost of an item.

But the tags will be passive, meaning they do not transmit any information unless a scanner is passed over them.

'RFID may have the potential to significantly improve product availability, which research has shown is a key issue for customers,' said a spokeswoman.

The retailer has chosen BT to work with on the trials. 'BT has been selected as the main contractor on the trial, providing managed IT development, and ongoing deployment and maintenance of mobile RFID readers in-store alongside tag and reader supplier Intellident,' said the spokeswoman.

The retailer will use mobile scanners - which can read RFID labels 20 times quicker than traditional barcode labels - in phase two of the trial, allowing M&S to speed up stock checks.

At the end of each day, stock on the shop floor will be scanned. Data collected will be compared with information in a central database containing each store's stock profile, to trigger replenishment orders.

'M&S is being pretty pragmatic about this move to extend its RFID trial,' said Neil Macehiter, partner at analyst Macehiter Ward-Dutton. 'And it's clearly oriented towards cost benefits by merging the barcode and RFID label into one.

'The issue is not the device itself, though. It will be how well the back-end systems cope with actually exploiting this more detailed information.'

The spring 2006 trial will be completed by the summer. The clothing trials supplement tests on four million returnable food produce delivery trays that started in 2002.

Miya Knights, 23 Feb 2005

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2071527/marks-spencer-extends-rfid-trial


From Mast Sanity/Mast Network