Aug 1-2 Safe Tech International News and Notes

EMFSA, Arthur F, E-school, Gary M AI, Keith Devra in Norway and UK

NEWSLETTERS:

EMFSA July 2024 Newsletter INCLUDES Biodiversity on the line: life cycle impact assessment of power lines on birds and mammals in Norway Open access. Read the full study at https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2634-4505/ad5bfd, Assessing costs and cost-effectiveness across the mitigation hierarchy: An example considering the reduction of bird mortality at power lines, Spotlight on “Biological effects of electromagnetic fields on insects: a systematic review and meta-analysis” by Thill et al. in Reviews on Environmental Health (2023), •Electrostatic pollination by butterflies and moths, More on the topic: Static electricity may help butterflies pick up pollen without touching flowers, Impact of proximity to cell phone tower base stations on residential property prices in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa, The indoors microbiome and human health, U.S. Clinical Practice Guideline for Suspected RFR-EMF Overexposure in Military Service Members, Wireless security and surveillance risks, In-building enterprise RF monitoring, Information access and democracy: Too often, ratepayers, taxpayers, and consumers find their voices unheard, especially in matters relating to telecommunication infrastructure. Read more at
https://www.emfsa.co.za/news/access-to-information-in-a-democracy/ HERE

FEATURED:

KEITH CUTTER; The Need for Synthetic EMF Exposure Guidelines There's no way I'm waiting for official agencies to dictate the consensus on safe levels of synthetic EMF exposures.  Given that key bodies responsible for industry oversight have become captured agencies, the vast majority of industry-sponsored research concludes no effect, andcurrent guidelines ignore non-thermal effects, I advocate for evaluation criteria centered around zero exposure for the following reasons:

1. Witnessed Improvements: I've seen dramatic turnarounds in vitality for the afflicted, including myself, who pursue the lowest attainable synthetic EMF exposure.

2. Synthetic EMF is not a part of the creation – it doesn't exist in nature.

3. Zero measurable exposure is what my most sensitive clients demand.

4. Following the precautionary principle, the most conservative posture is prudent avoidance until all forms of synthetic EMF exposure are proven harmless.

5. Other well-respected EMF Consultants center around zero as well.

6. Supporting evidence for the cumulative effects of "radio wave sickness," or electrohypersensitivity (EHS)

   The Need for Synthetic EMF Exposure Guidelines

FEATURED:

Arthur Firstenberg Author of The Invisible Rainbow My Next Book, THE EARTH AND I, Will Be Released on October 1 456 Pages ISBN: 978-1510781832 Imprint: Skyhorse Publishing “Who am I upon this Earth, so green, so blue, so round?” Having returned from a journey to Canada’s Yukon Territory -- a remote northern part of this planet -- I needed the answer to that question. The year was 1989. I had gone there without a car, traveling by bus, train, boat, and foot, seeking a refuge where I could live out the rest of my life within nature, and away from the civilization that was destroying everything I loved. To my horror, I did not find it. Even in the wilderness of the far north, the air was polluted. Pelts of wolves and polar bears hung on the walls of saloons, and were for sale on the shelves of tourist shops. The residents of that region zoomed around in their motorboats, snowmobiles, and private airplanes. My next book, The Earth and I, to • Cellular Phone Task Force (cellphonetaskforce.org)

FEATURED:

Interview with Arthur Firstenberg - Rinat Strahlhofer I am excited to share that our recent podcast interview featuring Arthur on The We Know Show is now live on our website and all major podcast platforms. Arthur's expertise and insights on EMF issues are truly illuminating and engaging. In addition to the full interview, we have also released promotional teasers on Rumble to offer a sneak peek at the depth of the conversation. I believe that Arthur's perspective on safe tech and EMF concerns will resonate with many, making it a valuable listen for anyone interested in this important topic. I invite you to listen to the full interview using the following link:  https://www.theweknowshow.com/podcast/the-invisible-rainbow-with-guest-arthur-firstenberg-episode-24nbsp You can also check out the teaser videos on Rumble here:  https://rumble.com/c/TheWeKnowShow Feel free to share this episode with your network and safe tech advocate groups, as well as visit our website at  https://www.wearenotsam.com to learn more and watch  http://wearenotsam.com/thefilm.

FEATURED:

Wi-Fi radiation: Practical steps to implement safer tech in classrooms E school News: Wi-Fi radiation: Practical steps to implement safer tech in classrooms "Many public health agencies and medical organizations recommend taking prudent measures to limit student exposure to RFR" Theodora Scarato, Rob Brown, MD, & Kent Chamberlin, PhD, Environmental Health Trust, August 1, 2024 Around a decade ago, districts began installing Wi-Fi technology in schools to facilitate access to enhanced “21st century” educational resources. Before Wi-Fi, students used computers plugged in through ethernet cords in dedicated computer rooms. Today, even kindergarteners sit in circles on the floor with Wi-Fi tablets on their laps.  Although Wi-Fi is certainly convenient, wireless devices emit radio frequency radiation (RFR), considered an environmental issue in today’s classrooms. A growing body of research indicates RFR exposure can pose serious health risks. To protect children’s health, countries such as France, Israel, and Belgium prohibit Wi-Fi in kindergartens. Since 2019, France has ensured wireless devices are labeled with warnings which read: “Keep radio equipment away from the belly of pregnant women, and away from the lower abdomen of adolescents.” Thankfully, there are many simple ways to reduce RFR exposure in the classroom. Here is what you need to know:  Wi-Fi radiation: Practical steps to implement safer tech in classrooms (eschoolnews.com) (courtesy Joel M)

FEATURED:

20 New Papers on Electromagnetic Fields and Biology or Health Electromagnetic Radiation Safety August 1, 2024 Joel M. has been circulating abstracts of newly-published scientific papers on radio frequency and other non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) monthly since 2016. The complete collection of these papers contains more than 2,000 abstracts with links to the papers. Several hundred EMF scientists around the world receive these updates.  To see abstracts for the most recent papers or to download volumes 1 to 3 of this collection go to:
https://www.saferemr.com/2022/06/recent-research-on-wireless-radiation.htmlRecent Research on Wireless Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields

NEWS AND NOTES

AI: Gary Marcus This one important fact about current AI explains almost everything An entire industry has been built - and will collapse - because many people haven’t yet gotten it. The people who have temporarily gotten rich or famous on AI have done so by pretending that this outlier problem simply doesn’t exist, or that a remedy for it is imminent. When the bubble deflation that I have been predicting comes, as now seems imminent, it will come because so many people have begun to recognize that GenAI can’t live up to expectations. The reason it can’t meet expectations? Say it in unison, altogether now: GenAI sucks at outliers. If things are far enough from the space of trained examples, the techniques of generative AI will fail. HERE

AI; Gary Marcus Five signs that the GenAI honeymoon is over And why that might be a good thing The bubble has begun to burst. Users have lost faith, clients have lost faith, VC’s have lost faith. GenAI bubble, November, 2022 - July 2024, RIP. The good, maybe even great, news? The fact that the GenAI bubble is apparently bursting sooner than expected may soon free up resources for other approaches, e.g., into neurosymbolic AI, as discussed here Sunday. One step backwards could open up ten forwards. HERE

LINKS TO: Gary Marcus AlphaProof, AlphaGeometry, ChatGPT, and why the future of AI is neurosymbolic What comes after chatbots HERE (Another author write: This one is a bit of a deep dive on why Marcus does not think Large Language Models will live up to their hype. If you aren't into tech details, you may want to skip this one.) Marcus says: they are simply and true next-word predictors (or, as I once put it, “autocomplete on steroids”), with no inherent way of verifying whether their predictions are correct. The lack of sanity-checking leads them to flub arithmetic, to make boneheaded errors, to make stuff up, to occasionally defame people, and so on — over and over again, in literally every transformer that has been released,[] Consequently, any “reasoning” or “planning” in LLMs is hit or miss, viable if the particulars of a given situation are close enough to what is in the training set, but highly vulnerable if they are not. “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter”, as Mark Twain once said, likening it to “the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.”

AI: Boston Accent Among Most Difficult For AI To Understand: Survey The survey released by the online language-learning platform Guide2Fluency.com talked to 3,000 Americans to find out how well artificial intelligence understands a variety of accents across the country. The Boston accent is the fifth most misunderstood by AI platforms including the popular ChatGPT, according to the survey. "Bostonians face challenges with their distinctive dropped 'r's," Guide2Fluency.com said in a news release. "Requests about parking a 'cah' (car) near the 'Gahden' (TD Garden) or checking the 'T' (subway) schedule often lead to AI misinterpretations." The Southern accent was the most misunderstood, according to the survey, followed by New York City and New Jersey at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. The below ranking shows the top 10 accents most misunderstood by AI: Southern New York City New Jersey Texan Boston Appalachian Long Island California Valley Miami New Orleans According to the survey, these misunderstandings often have real-world implications. HERE (Note, for those not familiar with Boston accent and for a laugh, you can revisit the dunkin donuts commercials for the Superbowl with Ben Affleck HERE

AI: Microsoft Is Losing a Staggering Amount of Money on AI AI remains an astronomical money pit. The tech giant revealed that during the quarter ending in June, it spent an astonishing $19 billion in cash capital expenditures and equipment, the Wall Street Journal reports — the equivalent of what it used to spend in a whole year a mere five years ago. Unsurprisingly, most of those $19 billion were related to AI, and roughly half was used for building out and leasing data centers. Major tech companies are investing heavily to capitalize on the current hype surrounding generative AI. And the costs are racking up, with specialized chips and huge amounts of electricity straining budgets across the tech world. HERE

AI OLYMPICS AD BACKLASH; Google's AI Olympics ad featuring Gemini chatbot draws backlash Google's new ad for AI, featuring a dad using the Gemini chatbot to help his daughter write a fan letter to an Olympic gold medalist, is roiling the internet. The big picture: A lot of viewers see the ad as a tone-deaf portrait of how AI could suck the humanity out of a tradition — the fan note — that's supposed to be handwritten and heartfelt. "The father in the video is not encouraging his daughter to learn to express herself," Shelly Palmer, media professor at Syracuse University, wrote in a blog post titled "Why Google's 'Dear Sydney' Ad Makes Me Want to Scream."

• "Instead of guiding her to use her own words and communicate authentically, he is teaching her to rely on AI for this critical human skill," Palmer wrote. HERE

AI: Third of people fear AI could lead to medics missing errors, poll suggests The top concerns about AI among the public are the impact of the technology on decision making and how it could change the way staff and patients interact. Some 30% of those surveyed said they were concerned that healthcare staff will not question AI, potentially missing errors as a result. More than half of the public (53%) said AI would make them feel distant from NHS staff, a concern that was shared by 65% of healthcare workers, who said they were concerned the technology would distance them from patients. Some 18% of the public and 11% of NHS staff also said they think AI could make care quality worse. HERE

AUTOMOBILES/BUSES: School District Turns to Diesel After Attempt to Convert Bus Fleet to Electric Proves Disastrous On July 25, Megan Davey Limarzi, Inspector General of Montgomery County, Maryland, issued a blistering memorandum regarding her office's (OIG) investigation into Montgomery County Public Schools' catastrophic management of an electric bus contract, which has cost taxpayers millions and forced MCPS to rely on diesel buses. With that in mind, MCPS should have assessed fees, as it would have done under a diesel bus contract. But it did not do so, which cost an additional $1.8 million. This led Limarzi to conclude that MCPS had utterly fleeced taxpayers. "MCPS’s failure to hold the contractor accountable to the terms of the contract and their decision not to include provisions to offset incurred expenses has led to millions of dollars in wasteful spending," the local inspector general wrote. Furthermore, MCPS ignored the electric buses' chronic mechanical failures. "Mechanical and/or charging infrastructure issues resulted in buses not being able to run routes on more than 280 instances from February 10, 2022, through March 31, 2024," Limarzi wrote. And yet, despite the contractor's repeated failures to service the buses, MCPS inexplicably assessed no fees. That decision cost taxpayers another $372,100. HERE

AUTOMOBILES (AND OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY): Ford's EV Bloodbath Continues FoMoCo lost $47,585 for each EV sold in Q2, GE Vernova calls offshore turbine blade failure a “manufacturing deviation” A bit more background on the company’s sales helps illustrate the scale of Ford’s faltering EV business. During the second quarter, Ford sold 199,463 F-Series trucks. Further, it sold more than half a million internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). Thus, as seen above, the Dearborn-based auto giant sold 21 times more ICEVs than EVs. The ongoing disaster in EVs has (finally) awakened Ford’s leaders from their money-losing stupor. Last Thursday, the company announced it would spend $3 billion to expand production capacity for its super-profitable F-Series line. In a July 18 press release, it said to meet “customer demand for one of its most popular and profitable vehicles,” it will add “initial capacity for 100,000 F-Series Super Duty trucks, including future multi-energy technology, at Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada.” The press release also contains some telling words from the company’s COO, Kumar Galhotra. AND GE Vernova’s Wind Turbine Orders Plummet, CEO Calls Blade Failure “Manufacturing Deviation” In the annals of corporate gobbledygook, Scott Strazik, the CEO of GE Vernova (GEV), surely deserves a prize for using the phrase “manufacturing deviation” to explain the July 13 disintegration of a turbine blade at the Vineyard Wind project in Massachusetts waters offshore Nantucket. [] As I noted earlier this week in “Breaking Wind,” the wind industry faces lots of pain. More proof came last Friday when Level Ten Energy reported that power purchase agreement prices for new wind projects jumped by 13.5% year-on-year. Solar prices increased by about 3%.  Thus, Big Wind is not only seeing lots of turbine failures onshore and offshore and a growing backlash across America — where local governments and landowners are rejecting the encroachment of their monstrous landscape-destroying-wildlife-killing-whale-endangering-and-property-value-shredding machines — it is also losing price competitiveness in the market. HERE

CHILDREN POLITICS; Senate Passes Bills Aimed at Protecting Children Online 'Government mandates and censorship will not protect children online,' said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., one of the 'No' votes. https://broadbandbreakfast.com/senate-passes-bills-aimed-at-protecting-children-online/

CHILDREN PHONES SCHOOLS: Away For The Day: The Essential Guide to Supporting Cellphone Bans in Schools Question: If there were to be a school emergency, such as a dangerous person on the grounds, what do school safety experts say is best for students to do? Pull out phones? Call home? Be silent? Hopefully you answered, be silent. The belief that students would be helped by having their own phones with them (or smartwatches) is just one of many myths our Away For the Day campaign addresses.  We launched the Away For The Day movement in 2017 because we could see back then the detrimental impact of smartphone use in schools, not just on academics but also on the emotional wellbeing and social development of youth. The fact is research shows that Away For The Day is the way to go. Big News We have significantly updated our Away For The Day website to help you support cellphone bans at your schools or your kids’ schools. HERE

DATA CENTERS: Data Centers Demand a Massive Amount of Energy. Here’s How Some States Are Tackling the Industry’s Impact. As the draw on the grid from these computer warehouses undergoes explosive growth, states that offer tax exemptions to support the industry are considering whether their approach still makes sense. []Countries such as Ireland, Singapore and the Netherlands have at times forced data centers to halt construction to limit strains on the power grid, according to a report by the nonprofit Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. The report’s recommendations for addressing data center power usage include encouraging the private sector to invest directly in renewables. Sajjad Moazeni, a University of Washington professor who studies artificial intelligence and data center power consumption, said states should consider electricity impacts when formulating data center legislation. Moazeni’s recent research found that in just one day, ChatGPT, a popular artificial intelligence tool, used roughly as much power as 33,000 U.S. households use in a year. https://www.propublica.org/article/data-centers-power-usage-washington-virginia This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with The Seattle Times

DISABILITY: Taenzer Fellowship for Disability-Engaged Journalism A capability-building program funded by the IEEE Foundation Open Call for Applications and Nominations: Do you know of a passionate disabled writer who is eager to explore the intersection of journalism, technology and disability? Do you aspire to shed a critical light on the impact of assistive technologies and mainstream technologies through a disabled lens? If so, we invite you to apply or nominate a deserving candidate for IEEE Spectrum’s Taenzer Fellowship for Disability-Engaged Technology Journalism. https://spectrum.ieee.org/taenzer-fellowship-for-disability-engaged-journalism

ECONOMICS Intel Reportedly Plans to Lay Off Thousands of Employees

ECONOMICS INDUSTRY: T-Mobile results pile 5G humiliation onto AT&T and Verizon Second-quarter earnings dazzle at T-Mobile US, but its spending projections are a further worry for kit vendors For lovers of 5G, T-Mobile's unwavering ability to humiliate AT&T and Verizon, its two big rivals, on subscriber growth is only to be expected. A recent assessment by Opensignal, a well-regarded monitor of network performance, put T-Mobile ahead of both competitors on 5G coverage experience with a score of 7.7 (on a 10-point scale), compared with AT&T's 6.3 and Verizon's 5.9. More glaring was the gap between T-Mobile and the others on 5G availability, measuring "what proportion of time people have a network connection, in places they most commonly frequent." T-Mobile came in at 67.9% on average. AT&T managed only 11.8%, while Verizon was on a lousy 7.7%. That gulf between one player and the other two on such a seemingly important metric may terrify investors in AT&T and Verizon. Of course, most customers do not care if they are on a 5G or 4G connection, provided the smartphone works and allows them to access all the services they need. T-Mobile's success probably owes more to canny marketing, competitive pricing and attention to customer services. But the 5G availability lead cannot hurt, especially when Verizon is basing its "value proposition on having the nation's best 5G network," in the words of Craig Moffett, the senior managing director of MoffettNathanson Research.HERE

5G RESEARCH: A comprehensive review of 5G exposure assessment technologies: fundamentals, advancements, challenges, niches & implications A comprehensive review of 5G NR RF-EMF exposure assessment technologies: fundamentals, advancements, challenges, niches, and implications Korkmaz E, Aerts S, Coesoij R, Bhatt CR, Velghe M, Colussi L, Land D, Petroulakis N, Spirito M, Bolte J. A comprehensive review of 5G NR RF-EMF exposure assessment technologies: fundamentals, advancements, challenges, niches, and implications. Environ Res. 2024 Jul 6;260:119524. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119524.

Highlights

• Monitoring exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) is crucial for environmental health and risk assessment

• A comprehensive review of the diverse landscape of RF-EMF assessment tools was missing.

• There is a definite need for cost-effective and long-lasting EMF sensors.

• Custom-developed RF-EMF measurement tools lack a standardized framework for comparison and validation.

Abstract

This review offers a detailed examination of the current landscape of radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) assessment tools, ranging from spectrum analyzers and broadband field meters to area monitors and custom-built devices. The discussion encompasses both standardized and non-standardized measurement protocols, shedding light on the various methods employed in this domain. Furthermore, the review highlights the prevalent use of mobile apps for characterizing 5G NR radio network data. A growing need for low-cost measurement devices is observed, commonly referred to as “sensors” or “sensor nodes”, that are capable of enduring diverse environmental conditions. These sensors play a crucial role in both microenvironmental surveys and individual exposures, enabling stationary, mobile, and personal exposure assessments based on body-worn sensors, across wider geographical areas. This review revealed a notable need for cost-effective and long-lasting sensors, whether for individual exposure assessments, mobile (vehicle-integrated) measurements, or incorporation into distributed sensor networks. However, there is a lack of comprehensive information on existing custom-developed RF-EMF measurement tools, especially in terms of measuring uncertainty. Additionally, there is a need for real-time, fast-sampling solutions to understand the highly irregular temporal variations EMF distribution in next-generation networks. Given the diversity of tools and methods, a comprehensive comparison is crucial to determine the necessary statistical tools for aggregating the available measurement data. Open access paper: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935124014294 Related Posts 5G Wireless Technology: Is 5G Harmful to Our Health? and 5G Wireless Technology: Millimeter Wave Health Effects

HAVANA SYNDROME: MILITARY.COM 'Havana Syndrome' Sufferers Face Challenges Navigating the Military Health System, Federal Watchdog Finds Those who received care through the U.S. military -- 50 patients -- and were interviewed by GAO told officials that they were grateful for the treatment from providers familiar with their experiences. Nearly half said their symptoms had improved as a result of treatment. But many said they never received guidance on how to access care and faced challenges getting onto base, receiving medications and making timely appointments. By law, the DoD also was to maintain a registry of affected patients, collect data and information that would be used to help drive treatments, and establish processes for caring for patients through a network of specialty facilities, the Intrepid Spirit Centers, at U.S. military bases across the country. But those tasks have not been completed, according to the GAO. HERE

HAVANA SYNDROME: Havana Syndrome Study Sparks Controversy Over Health Implications NIH research finds no brain injuries in affected individuals, but participants question the integrity of results Even with this extensive study, skepticism remains among participants. Some participants in the NIH research have raised serious allegations regarding the study's impartiality and the integrity of the methodologies used. Several lawyers have claimed bias, suggesting that pressures from within U.S. intelligence could have influenced how results were reported, causing some participants to question the authenticity of the diagnosis they received. Participants have expressed feelings of vulnerability and skepticism towards the medical research process, especially when it comes to how their medical information was managed. Reports indicate that some individuals were coerced into enrolling in the study with guarantees that participation would yield necessary medical care, raising ethical concerns about transparency in the research process. [] As this ongoing narrative unfolds, it is becoming increasingly evident that the implications of Havana Syndrome extend beyond purely medical discussions. It is enmeshed in complex diplomatic relations, personal health struggles, and ongoing debates about scientific integrity in research. Furthermore, it raises questions about how the U.S. government responds to emerging health crises among its workforce stationed globally, especially in politically sensitive environments. With ongoing investigations and continued scrutiny of government health responses, many affected individuals are not only left wondering about the future of their health but are also conscious of the broader implications surrounding safety and care for diplomats and intelligence personnel tasked with carrying out vital international work.HERE

HEALTH: Six Innovative Cancer Therapies for 2024 From fecal transplantation to pulsed fields, investigators are examining new ways to clear cancer. Pulse Electric Field Therapy Pulse Electric Field (PEF) therapy targets and destroys cancer cells using electrical pulses to disrupt cell membranes, while sparing healthy tissue. This method offers a less invasive and more precise alternative to traditional treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. “The human body has become the battlefield and the immune system the collateral damage,” said Dr. Goodyear. “PEF therapy changes that paradigm by focusing on tumor targeting rather than human targeting.” PEF therapy delivers short, high-voltage pulses between two electrodes, a process known as electroporation. This creates temporary holes (pores) in cancer cell membranes, allowing therapeutic agents to penetrate more effectively or causing the cells to die directly. A 2023 Scientific Reports study demonstrated that nano-pulsed PEF reduced multidrug resistance in pancreatic cancer cells and made the cells more susceptible to chemotherapy. The treatment significantly shrank cancer cell clusters, indicating reduced tumor growth. At the Williams Cancer Institute in California, recent advancements include nano-pulsed PEF, which generates a larger electric field amplitude and penetrates cancer cells more deeply. This technique bypasses the cell membrane’s defenses and damages internal structures, thus leading to cell death. Nano-pulsed PEF offers therapeutic options for patients who are not suitable candidates for surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation,“ Dr. Goodyear noted. ”This minimally invasive treatment spares healthy tissue and significantly reduces recovery time.” While death rates from most of these cancers have decreased or stabilized, younger generations are also dying at higher rates from some of them, including colorectal cancer, which is screened for in the United States. HERE

HEALTH: New model shows cortical implants like Elon Musk's Blindsight are unlikely to 'exceed normal human vision' HERE

HEALTH: Incidence of 17 cancers on the rise in younger generations, major new study says Some cancers had shown a decline in previous generations. The cancers on the rise included two types of stomach cancer, small intestine cancer, estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer, ovarian, liver, bile duct and colorectal cancer, uterine and testicular cancer, gall bladder, kidney and pancreatic cancer, and two types of blood cancer: myeloma and leukemia.A subset of mouth and throat cancers in females, anal cancer in males, and Kaposi sarcoma in males were also increasingly diagnosed in people at a younger age than in previous generations, according to the study. The cancers with the most rapidly growing incidence among younger generations are thyroid, pancreatic, kidney, small intestine, and liver cancer in females, all of which were diagnosed at rates two to four times greater for people born in 1990 compared to 1955. HERE

HEALTH: Centralized Dermatology: A House of Cards The one paper to prove that they're wrong about sunlight exposure. HERE

NATURE/ENGINEERING: Drought buster: Solar tech extracts 3 liters of water from thin air daily A team of researchers has developed a system that can reliably draw liters of water from thin air every day without requiring frequent manual maintenance. The passive system is an advanced version of the solar-driven atmospheric water extraction (SAWE) method, which can continuously produce freshwater when sunlight is presented. Although the concept and technology for air-to-water water harvesting are not new, the current solar-powered systems are cumbersome. Harvesters that run on solar electricity follow a two-stage cycle. Water is first drawn from the air via an absorbent substance, and once it is saturated, the system is sealed and heated by sunlight to draw out the water. According to the team, both physical work and a switching system are needed to alternate between the two processes, which increases complexity and expense. The new harvester created at KAUST doesn’t need either; instead, it can cycle constantly without assistance by passively switching between the two stages. Drought buster: Solar tech extracts 3 liters of water from thin air daily (msn.com) HERE (how does this impact the natural cycle)

NCSL Pew Charitable Trust: Legislators, staff, topic experts, and others involved in state policy will gather in Louisville, Kentucky, next week for the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) annual summit to exchange ideas and learn what's working in other states. (and appear uniformed re; EVs, Offshore Wind, Housing, Climate? ) HERE

OUTAGES; Microsoft down: Outage was caused by cyber attack, company says

OUTAGES: Delta CEO lashes out at CrowdStrike: This cost us $500 million and they offered us nothing

POLITICS: Beware Silicon Valley’s 2012 NostalgiaThe big money in California hasn’t gone full MAGA. But it is determined to bring Kamala Harris and the Federal Trade Commission to heel. The tech world’s top luminaries have grown increasingly frustrated with the Biden administration’s more populist approach towards the economy and corporate power. Beware Silicon Valley’s 2012 Nostalgia - Truthdig

WARFARE OT: China issued warning shot as US sinks 820-foot ship with stealth explosives The United States military has sent a warning to China by blowing up a decommissioned naval ship, the USS Tarawa, in the Pacific. The ship, weighing in at 39,000 ton, was active from 1976 to 2009. The Global Times, a Chinese news outlet seen as a mouthpiece for Beijing, said Saturday that the exercise "is clearly aimed at China," as China was "the only country deemed as 'enemy' by the US that operates a 40,000-ton amphibious assault ship in the Asia-Pacific region." "Sinking exercises give us a chance to sharpen our skills, learn from one another, and get real-world experience," said U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John Wade. "Using advanced weapons and seeing the professionalism of our teams during these drills shows our commitment to keeping the Indo-Pacific region safe and open." Once the ship is sunk, authorities try to remove harmful elements from the ocean that could "degrade" the environment. HERE

WATER BROKOVITZ REPORT: How Our Health Hangs In The Balance U.S. Towns Are Like Ticking Time Bombs Waiting For Terrible News About PFAS. Here's What You Can Do About It. PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) is a class of thousands of compounds known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in both the environment and in human bodies for decades. They don’t break down easily and can accumulate at toxic levels in the environment. These chemicals have been used to make everything from textiles, adhesives, food packaging, firefighting foams, and non-stick cookware. The health issues associated with exposure to PFAS include fertility issues, developmental delays in children, increased risk of cancer, and risk of obesity, according to the EPA. What’s beyond frustrating is that we’ve known for decades which industries used these chemicals, and we knew they were bioaccumulating, but both companies and our regulators kicked the can down the road. HERE

WARFARE: Ukraine Apparently Blew Up a 12-Ton Russian Helicopter Using a Two-Pound Drone It was reportedly hit right after taking off. https://futurism.com/the-byte/ukraine-russian-helicopter-two-pound-drone

ACTIVIST ACTION: ENGAGEMENT PHONE FREE SCHOOLS

For those of you in the U.S. who care about safer tech schools, I would love to share this new resource: The Phone-Free Schools Movement, which advocates for a ban on phones from bell-to-bell, not just during class.  Here is link to their new Ambassadors program: https://phonefreeschoolsmovement.org/930-2/ They have put together a stunningly complete Toolkit for school administrators and ambassadors. I am not obliged to share it with you here, but you can get one by signing up as an ambassador (no cost!) and/or asking someone from a local school to sign up. This does not obligate the school to ban phones, but gives them the support needed to consider and prepare for such a huge change.   Here is the link to the toolkit:  https://phonefreeschoolsmovement.org/administrator-toolkit/ (This program has the potential to grow into a large movement like that of ScreenStrong – a non-profit that shares resources to address screen addiction and has ambassadors all over the world, who are provided with a stunning number of resources for education.     https://screenstrong.org/ambassadors/   I believe we need a similar Ambassadors program for teaching on Safer Tech.) PLEASE consider signing up TODAY as an ambassador for the Phone-Free Schools movement. The requirements are minimal. It would be wise for us to have a “critical mass” of ambassadors who are about Phone-Free Schools & RFR protection! This idea of a “ban” or phone-free school (which I find to be a far more positive way to frame this) is featured in the best seller released early this year: The Anxious Generation:  How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness  (Written by Jonathan Haidt, PhD). This book presents essential facts for why we need cell Phone Free Schools!   Dr. Haidt is also on the Board of Advisors of this new movement.   

STUDY GROUP: SafeTech NC will host a Zoom-based book study of  The Anxious Generation next Thursday, 8/8 at 6:30pm eastern time.   If interested, please register at this Zoom link to attend: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYtfumtpj4rEt0-2N2yS53bPyKMON0pjUWx After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing the info to joining the meeting. You can find this book at most booksellers, or order it online. Dr. Haidt is a social psychologist at NYU (in the Stern School of Business) and is eloquent on how smart phone use over the past decade has adversely affected young people, and points to how this will affect the future workforce. Dr. Haidt is clearly an influential Thought Leader on phones in schools.  We would do well to ask to meet with him to share RFR risks to add to this list of harms that he sites and provides extensive research to back up:

1.    Social deprivation

2.    Sleep deprivation

3.    Attention fragmentation

4.    Addiction

 Below are two videos of Dr. Haidt’s perspective and research:

5 minutes:   HERE

1 hour 9 minutes:  HERE

If you will join us on 8/8, we will be looking at two main issues: 1. What are the MOST important facts we should share with school leaders / policy makers? 2. What points does Dr. Haidt make that we can expand on when we ask to meet with him about the effects of RF Radiation?  No, he does not name the radiation risks, but he is very clear on all the other risks. 

Thank you for your consideration! Mary Anne Tierney, RN, MPH, EMRS SafeTechNC.org and Blue Ridge EMF Solutions.com

EVENT

EVENT NORWAY EINAR: "The Age of Wireless Screens" – major seminar at the House of Literature in Oslo on 6 November In collaboration with Svein Sandnes Bokforlag and FELO, I am arranging a three-hour seminar in the Wergeland Hall in the House of Literature in Oslo on Wednesday 6 November at 5-8 pm. The target group is primarily people who are concerned with the health and environmental effects of screen use in school and elsewhere and want more "academic meat on the bone": Here the whole canvas is stretched up! At the same time, epidemiologist Devra Davis, "the grand old lady" in this field, is launching her bestseller in Norwegian: "The Age of Wireless Screens – the Damage, the Obfuscation, and What We Can Do". The book is included in the entrance ticket… nine specialists from the USA, Germany and Norway. Their stories are both interesting and revealing. prograM will soon also be available on the House of Literature's website and on Facebook,

SEMINAR PROGRAM:

Two lectures:
Ole Petter Hjelle, "the training doctor": The digital drug – how our health is affected by the useof screens

Devra Davis, epidemiologist, researcher in environment and health, USA: What testicles and brains have in common – and what happened with that knowledge?

Short posts:
Jörn Gutbier, dipl.ing., Diagnose:funk, Germany: Why was illness from radio waves accepted until early 1990-ies, but not thereafter?
Else Nordhagen, telecom researcher: How can such weak radiation have such a strong effect?
Eirik Garnås, Associate Professor: The Radiation Problem in the Light of Evolutionary Medicine
Solveig Glomsrød, Researcher, FELO: Effects on Life and Quality of Life
Hugo P. Matre, Lawyer Schjødt AS: The AMS Meters: Status of the Legal
Odd Magne Hjortland, Electrical and Automation Engineer: How to Reduce Exposure?

20:00 – 22:00 Book signing and talks in the café Pre-registration and ticket sales take place on Hoopla: use short link: https://bit.ly/3WuKUEO post is Here

Activists in the UK will also be hosting Devra in November, details to follow.