Two of the trustees for this EMF Biological Research Trust (a "Charity") are identified as being associated with National Grid. Note "the real concerns expressed in the abstract from the seminar!!! Take care - Joanne

Joanne C. Mueller Guinea Pigs R Us
731 - 123rd Avenue N.W.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55448-2127
USA
Phone: 763-755-6114
Email: jcmpelican@aol.com (10-12-05)


EMFs...Bernal lect'04..."no COMPELLING evidence???"FUNDING!!See Trustees also
From: JCMPelican@aol.com
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2005 23:13:05 EDT

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2005 Jun 29;360(1458):1223-30.

The Bernal Lecture 2004 are low-frequency electromagnetic fields a health hazard?

Crumpton MJ.

Scientific Advisory Committee, The EMF Biological Research Trust, South Croydon, UK. brt@emfields.demon.co.uk

Electric power is an essential commodity of the developed world, and is critical to the continuing progress of our technology-based society, as well as to the growth of less privileged societies. In contrast to its overwhelming benefits, there is a suspicion that the magnetic component of the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) associated with power distribution and electrical appliances has adverse health effects, especially a small increased incidence of childhood leukaemia. The possibility that environmental EMFs represent a health hazard has serious economic implications for government, the electricity industry and society, as well as raising several profound scientific challenges, including, in particular, biophysical mechanisms, experimental replication and scientific uncertainty. These challenges are explored in relation to the experiences of the EMF Biological Research Trust, a UK medical research charity which funds basic research on the biological effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs). As judged from these experiences, at the present time there is no compelling experimental evidence that environmental ELF-EMFs induce biological responses.

PMID: 16147518 [PubMed - in process]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16147518&query_hl=14

Accessed via PubMed 10-12-05 for EMR Leukemia file/jcmueller/guinea pigs r us

* *

ALSO: From EMF Biological Research Trust website (10-12-05 for jcmuellerLeukFile): http://www.emfbrt.org/

EMF Biological Research Trust is a UK-based medical research charity which funds basic research on the biological effects of the environmental extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF) commonly associated with the distribution of electric power. It is funded by donations from National Grid Transco plc. The research programme is recommended and administered by a Scientific Advisory Committee, which is independent of the electricity supply industry. The Trust encourages publication of results of the work it funds and the content of such publications is entirely the responsibility of grantholders. The trust is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities.

* *

ALSO: From National Grid website (10-12--05 for jcmuellerLeukFile): http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=ngg

National Grid plc, a utility company, engages in the transmission and distribution of electricity and gas in the United Kingdom and the United States. It owners and operates gas and electricity transmission and gas distribution networks in the United Kingdom and the United States, and electricity distribution networks in the United States. The company owns and operates the high-voltage electricity system in England and Wales, and the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain. It also owns electricity transmission systems in the northeastern U.S. and manages a range of electricity transmission operations for utilities in the U.S. Midwest. National Grid had a gas transmission network comprised of approximately 4,300 miles of high pressure national transmission pipelines; the U.K. gas distribution system of approximately 82,000 miles of distribution pipelines; the U.S. electricity transmission systems of approximately 14,000 circuit miles of transmission and subtransmission lines; and the U.S. electricity and gas distribution systems of approximately 72,000 circuit miles of electric distribution lines located on rights-of-way in New England and New York, and approximately 8,500 miles of gas distribution pipelines located on rights-of-way in New York, as of March 31, 2005. National Grid distributes electricity in the northeastern U.S. to approximately 3.3 million customers and gas in upstate New York to approximately 565,000 customers. In addition, it provides infrastructure and related services in areas, such as wireless network infrastructure for broadcast and mobile telephones, metering, grain liquefied natural gas import, interconnectors, and property. The company was formerly known as National Grid Transco plc and changed its name to National Grid plc in July 2005. National Grid plc is based in London.



http://omega.twoday.net/search?q=low-frequency

Hutchinson 3G said the mast was only temporary

Council chiefs have turned down a retrospective planning application for a temporary mobile phone mast in Aberystwyth.

The 15-metre structure was put up by Hutchinson 3G near homes and schools without permission in June.

The company will now have to dismantle the mast, although it does have an option to appeal against the decision.

Hutchinson 3G said it would not comment until it had discovered why the application had been turned down.

A petition and 26 letters opposing the mast were sent to Ceredigion Council after it was erected 30 or 40 metres away from homes and more than 300 metres away from three schools.

But Hutchinson 3G said the mast has not been switched on and that any level of emissions would be "minute".

County councillor Paul James said he was "delighted" with the planning committee's decision on Wednesday.

"I think the planning committee made the right decision. It was not about teaching them (Hutchinson 3G) a lesson, the mast was just visually obtrusive," he said.

Verity Stanford of Hutchinson 3G said: "We will wait for the decision notice from the council and then review the reasons behind the decision before we make further comment."

The schools, more than 300 metres away, claimed they had not been informed about the development.

Hutchinson 3G said they had not contacted them because they were beyond the distance that they normally consulted.

Ceredigion Council said last week that it was not illegal to erect the mast without permission but was unauthorised.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/4335136.stm

Actuellement le débat sur la Téléphonie Mobile et les antennes relais est présent sur plusieurs centaines de sites et forums. L'équipe de next-up en analyse au jour le jour un certain nombre.

Ce jour un article mérite une attention particulière, nous vous le proposons. Y a-t-il un psychanalyste dans la salle ?

http://www.next-up.org/main.php?param=dernieresinfos&date_news=2005-10-12

ASL: Mesures Officielles de Contrôles ... Premiéres réactions (14 octobre 2005)

http://www.sauvonsleon.fr/main.php?param=presseradiotv

- Premières photos de protection des locaux d'ASL contre l'irradiation par les CEM des antennes relais de la macro-station d'Orange dans la basse ville de Crest. Les locaux d'ASL sont situés à environ 75 mètres faces aux antennes relais, il faut savoir que le petit Léon et d'autres VIVENT à moins de 30 mètres des antennes relais !

http://www.sauvonsleon.fr/main.php?param=cartographie102mesures


Pour vulgarisation nationale sur les mesures officielles de contrôles, il a été réalisé: - Un document de synthèse avec imageries qui sera mis en ligne dans quelques jours. - Un documentaire vidéo professionnel (en cours de montage) sera disponible en téléchargement.



-1er Dossier ét ude CNRS / CSO:
Contreverses et Mobilisations autour des Antennes Relais de Téléphonie Mobile (Financée par France Télécom R & D, SFR et Bouygues Télécom)

- 2ème Dossier: IUT de Nantes
Cours de CEM (notions élémentaires)

http://www.next-up.org/main.php?param=doc_professionnelle

The following letter-to-the-editor was published in late September of this year in the St George-Sutherland Shire Leader, apparently the community newspaper with the bigest coverage in Sydney. It is about the forthcoming government sell of of the remainder of Telstra and Anne makes a very important point. Telstra did not respond to it for obvious reasons!

From Anne Wagstaff

Dear Editor

Telstra’s sale appears to be full of omissions, as well as contradictions. (Your View, September 20)

This time last year Telstra warned that insurance against any risk associated with electromagnetic radiation is becoming more difficult to obtain because insurers are becoming less willing to provide cover or charging prohibitive prices. Telstra acknowledged this insurance problem in the risks section of its 2004 Annual Report*, stating “The establishment of a link between adverse health effects and electromagnetic energy (EME) could expose us to liability or negatively affect our operations.”

However, this year Telstra appears to have omitted to tell shareholders, present and potential about such insurance problems. I wonder why?

Regards

Anne Wagstaff Oatley NSW 2223

*EXTRACT of Innovation Everywhere, Telstra Annual Report 2004 under the heading Risk factors on pages 10 -11(hard copy)/pages 12-13 (soft copy)

http://www.telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/investor/docs/companyoverview.pdf

The establishment of a link between adverse health effects and electromagnetic energy (EME) could expose us to liability or negatively affect our operations

The consensus of national and international scientific opinion is that there is no substantiated evidence of public health effects from the EME generated by radio frequency technology, including mobile phones and base stations, when used in accordance with applicable standards.

In our operations, we comply with the EME levels permitted by legislation and applicable standards. While to date we have been able to obtain limited insurance against these risks, the preparedness of insurers to give this type of insurance cover is reducing and even this limited insurance cover may not continue to be economically viable. There is a risk therefore that an actual or perceived health risk associated with mobile telecommunications equipment and facilities could:

? lead to litigation against us;

? adversely affect us by reducing the number or the growth rate of mobile telecommunications services or lowering usage per customer;

? precipitate the imposition of more onerous applicable legal requirements which are more difficult or costly to comply with; or

? hinder us in installing new mobile telecommunications equipment and facilities.

Any of these, or a combination of more than one, could have a negative effect on our results or financial position. For more information on EME, see “Information on the Company - Networks and systems - Electromagnetic energy”.

Source: http://www.emfacts.com/weblog/index.php?p=266

The article below ("Real Leaders don't indulge popular fears", The Sunday Times, Comment, September 25, 2005) exemplifies the lack of transparency and blatant dishonesty we have to contend with in our EHS campaign. Dr. Don Mac Auley (director of MAIM--Mast Action in Meath) in his response letter to this article ("Tell Whole Story") exposes Sarah Carey's ties with the Irish telecommunications industry. These immediately disqualify her from being capable of presenting her readers with an evenhanded judgement of the merit of anti-mast protests. Yet, she does not pay her readers the courtesy of informing them anywhere in her article that she was employed by Irish Telecommunications. It should be obligatory--as it is in so many other sectors here-- that writers in well-esteemed papers must declare any conflicts of interest they have when publishing articles of this nature.

Best, Imelda, Cork.


For earlier reference to Sligo civil servants to strike over phone antennae see:

http://omega.twoday.net/stories/993605/


THE SUNDAY TIMES, OCTOBER 9, 2005

LETTERS

"TELL WHOLE STORY

I was bemused by Sarah Carey's derision at today's political leaders (Real leaders don't indulge popular fears, Comment, 25 September). Her critical stance towards protest groups and their perceived fears will, in fact, reinforce the public's unease that they are never told the whole story. What Carey did not tell us is that she has been up to her ears in mobile phone controversy for several years now.

When Carey scolds masts protesters she doesn't inform us that she worked for Esat Telecom (now 02) when Denis O'Brien was competing for the second mobile phone licence. Last year she appeared in front of the Moriarty tribunal, which is investigating the awarding of this licence, where she admitted Esat made several financial contributions to Fine Gael [Irish political party].

Carey was also involved in the planning process for rolling out the Esat Digifone (now 02) mobile phone network, which may explain her revulsion towards the civil servants complaining about transmitters in Sligo. In my experience of working with the community, people feel that big business comes before concerns about health and wellbeing. Therefore, on some level I agree with Carey. We do need stronger politicians and political parties who can't be bought but defend the electorate's rights against profiteering.

Dr Don Mac Auley Navan, Co. Meath


THE SUNDAY TIMES, SEPTEMBER 25, 2005

Comment: Sarah Carey

"REAL LEADERS DON'T INDULGE POPULAR FEARS

Civil servants at a pension office in Sligo voted to go on strike last week. Not for any of the usual reasons — better pay or shorter working hours. Instead they’re threatening a walk-out because Vodafone is putting three mobile phone antennae on their roof. The workers believe that the health risks are so great it is their duty to prevent the installation at all costs. They are completely wrong, and yet convinced they are right. How can this be? There are 3.8m mobile phones in Ireland, according to ComReg, the regulator. They don’t keep a count of groups protesting against antennae, but I’d say one for every parish in the country is about right. The protesters are convinced that the non- ionising radiation emitted from the antennae is responsible for a range of conditions, from cancer to Alzheimer’s to migraine.

What these diseases have in common is that nobody is quite sure what causes them. In medieval times, people blamed sin or comets for mystery illnesses. Now we blame modern technology. A harsh comparison, but given the absence of rational thought in each case, we have to ask why there is such a huge gap between actual risk and perceived risk among the general population.

In response to people’s concerns, ComReg monitors the emissions from 400 mobile phone stations throughout the country. The full report for each station is available on its website. Completely at random I read the report on the Slieve Mish mast in Co Kerry. For each radio frequency, a maximum exposure level for the public is recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). On Slieve Mish, the highest emission at the GSM mobile phone transmission frequency was 0.01% of the maximum level recommended. In other words, the emissions are
10,000 times lower than recommended. A pretty comfortable margin of safety.

Protesters will shriek that when it comes to their health, any risk, no matter how small, is unacceptable to them. But this is a lie. Getting out of bed every day is a risk. Whether on foot, by car or by public transport, we run an actual risk of being killed simply by going somewhere. We all, including those civil servants in Sligo, own millions of radiation-emitting mobile phones. The truth is we are quite willing to take big and quantifiable risks every day.

In the case of mobile masts, it is not the level of risk involved, but the manner in which we assess that risk. People assume that the illusion of control, like a talisman, is what protects them. Since they are at the wheel of the car, they think they can overtake the truck before they meet the oncoming bus. The truck or the bus may accelerate, thus undermining the driver’s control of the situation, but this seldom occurs to the driver.

When someone thinks they are in control they will take enormous risks without flinching. When they think someone else, a big company or a government, is imposing a risk upon them, they lose the head.

The Rossport Five are beginning their fourth month in jail because they believe that Shell’s gas pipeline could kill them. Shell wants to build its gas terminal onshore because gas workers are often killed on dangerous offshore terminals, or when the helicopters taking them to and fro crash.

Shell’s pipeline has been designed to take twice the pressure that will be needed. So the chances of an accident in Co Mayo involving Shell are minuscule, and the reaction in Rossport is out of all proportion to the actual risk. But there was no planning process for the pipe, and Shell is a multinational with a nasty reputation and it is wielding compulsory purchase orders. The result is mass hysteria.

In Kinnegad, Lagan Cement has been given permission by Meath county council to burn meat and bone meal (MBM) instead of coal in its furnaces. By burning less coal, the cement company will reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 45%, an indisputably good thing. There is a tiny risk that the MBM may contain CJD, the human equivalent of mad cow disease, so burning it at 2,000C is a reasonably effective way of completely destroying any traces.

Does that satisfy locals? Of course not. There was a huge protest around Kinnegad because people believed they were going to catch CJD. Do they also believe if they sail far enough west they will fall off the edge of the earth? The problem is that, on all of these issues, there is a complete absence of political leadership. Nobody is willing to stand up to protesters and tell them they are simply mistaken. Instead they are indulged. Wherever there are protesters there are politicians who will say things like “Their fears are real” (not “Their claims are real”). They will say that it is their job to “represent the people’s views”. Who decided that was a politician’ s job? Not Michael Collins or Eamon de Valera. Don’t politicians have the slightest obligation to tell their constituents that just because they read a mad report on the internet, that doesn’t make it true? In one sense, it’s hard to blame them because voters have a nasty habit of electing single-issue protest candidates. No TD or councillor in a proposed incinerator constituency wants to be the first to admit that we have to have them and you won’t grow another head if you live near one.

But Irish politicians are doing themselves no favours in the long run. In almost all protest campaigns the politician is ineffective. This is not an accident: it’s because they decided long ago to outsource hard decisions to politically unaccountable bodies such as An Bord Pleanala and the Environmental Protection Agency. Thus they have protected themselves from being forced to decide on tough issues and taking the rap when the hard choice has to be made.

Inevitably when paid professionals take the unpopular decisions, the ineffectiveness of the politician becomes apparent. People begin to wonder what politicians are for, and either don’t bother to vote in the next election or support an independent.

The various party conferences have been given wide coverage over the past month. Amid all these think-ins, did anyone suggest adopting a policy of standing up to protesters? No, that would be called electoral suicide. But as long as they refrain from offering true leadership on these issues, they are destroying themselves anyway. Just more slowly."

Ils ont dit: Monsieur Jean Claude GUIGUET Président du Conseil d'Administration de l'ANFR

http://www.next-up.org/main.php?param=ilsontdit

A ROW could break out between a church and its primary school over plans to erect a mobile phone mast on top of the church tower.

Fund-raisers fighting to save the crumbling tower at St Thomas Parish Church in St Annes thought their prayers had been answered when a bid by mobile giant Orange was recommended to be approved.

But Ted Dempsey, acting headteacher at St Thomas Primary School, today voiced concerns over health fears surrounding the masts. He said: "Obviously our main concern and interest is for the health and safety of the children. We are currently taking advice on any issues that this could present for us or if it could harm our pupils. "The problem has been discussed at a meeting of the school governors and it was decided we needed to seek guidance on the matter.

"We are a church school and of course we want to support the church. However, we have to first consider the health and safety of pupils."

Health groups have raised concerns about the safety of mobile masts in recent years but there has been no firm evidence to prove the transmitters are dangerous.

St Thomas Parish Church, which was built more than 100 years ago, has battled for eight years to find a way of keeping the tower after stonework became eroded and unsafe and the tower had to close. Last year, the fund-raisers thought they had hit a dead end after being turned down for a Heritage Lottery Grant and applied to demolish the tower.

But the plan was met with concern from residents and the demolition plans were rejected by Fylde Council, which wanted the landmark preserved.

Earlier this year, a company representing mobile telephone giant Orange approached the church with the offer of placing a mast on top of the tower – effectively paying for the £260,000 cost of the upgrade work through an upfront fee and an annual rent.

The Rev Peter Law-Jones, the vicar at St Thomas, said: "I understand people have concerns, but I hope people understand we are acting in good faith for the good of the church and the community.

"We have taken our own advice and have been told that because of the height of the church tower the impact would be non-existent. "This will hopefully secure the future of the church, which, if it were to close, would be a massive loss to the community."

10 October 2005

http://www.blackpoolonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=62&ArticleID=1217091

PETER WALSH
07 October 2005 14:42

Protesters who emerged victorious after preventing the expansion of a city phone mast are gearing up for another battle after a telecommunications company launched an appeal against the city council's decision to refuse its application.

The Evening News reported in March how Norwich City Council's planning applications committee went against officers' advice and turned down the application by O2 to add further antennae to the Mousehold Water Tower in Telegraph Lane East, Thorpe Hamlet.

They said the proposal would create an eyesore in the Thorpe Ridge Conservation Area, but the delight which greeted the decision has turned to anger from campaigners who fear O2 will win its appeal to the Planning Inspector and be given the go-ahead to add to the "thorn of crowns" on the locally listed water tower.

"I'm disappointed that we couldn't have kept them from appealing," said David Shailer, of Montcalm Road.

"But we are fighting against multi-million pound organisations and they don't take things lying down in getting planning consent for these masts, which will generate them money."

Mr Shailer, 52, a truck driver, said he did not know when the appeal would be heard, but that he would put his views forward again in time for it.

"I will take a proactive stance to have my say if I can," he said.

"It's a case of we've won the battle but the war has still got to be fought. We just keep plugging away."

More than 100 parents of children at nearby Thorpe Hamlet Middle School signed a petition against the antennae on the tower, which already has 17 dishes on it.

The Evening News has campaigned against the installation of mobile phone masts near homes and schools until it is proved they are safe.

A spokeswoman for O2 said she hoped the appeal lodged with the city council would be successful.

"We don't want to leave that area without any 3G capacity or without excellent coverage," she said. "It really is a key part of the 3G network. The more people use their mobile phones, the more masts we need."

Dr Ian Gibson, MP for North Norwich, said: "Why are they doing it? I don t think they should bother appealing. There are no complaints about reception in that area."

Are you opposing plans to site a phone mast in your neighbourhood? Call Alasdair McGregor at the Evening News on (01603) 772443 or e-mail al.mcgregor@archant.co.uk

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/News/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=enonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED07%20Oct%202005%2014%3A42%3A33%3A610