KS: In the United States, telecom companies will not give their subscribers' usage data over to epidemiologists; they won't do it. They will do it in some European companies where there is socialized medicine, because they don't want to pay for the health damages that health insurance companies pay for in countries without socialized medicine. So that's one thing, and there are countries that have made some limits. Do they really help? Who knows., I can say last year France made legislation that discourages WIFM ministry of Education has stopped the installation of wireless networks in classrooms before first grade and limited use of WIFI between first and third grades. So there are what I would call raindrops like that in other countries, and I would take them. In this country, in terms of schools, we've got a massive push right now to issue every child an iPad and to get high speed WIFI in every school.
Rob: I kind of want to finish up on this thing, because I'm always interested in, is there anywhere where the laws are better, where people are safer and more protected? You didn't respond at all to the question if they're doing further testing where they address the safety of electronic devices.
KS: Okay, so we have epidemiological studies from Sweden. There are studies coming out of Turkey and the Middle East. I mean, there are studies -- there was one from France a few months ago about the relationship between glioblastoma, which is a rare form of brain cancer, and cell phone use. I actually report on a strong cluster of glioblastoma brain tumors in the first chapter of my book; that nobody look(ed) at in this country in terms of government agencies. We do have studies coming out of Europe that are looking at that because they've got the data. They can ask, how many hours per day did this person who got glioblastoma use a cell phone? But in this country, telecomm companies will not turn over their subscribers' usage data to epidemiologists.
Rob: It's kind of like in the gun industry they don't allow epidemiological studies to be done.
KS: I didn't know that.
Rob: Yes.
KS: So anyway, we do have some studies coming out of Europe. For anyone who wants to look at those studies, I'd say, start at bioinitiative.org. There's plenty there.
Rob: All right, I just want to stay a little bit further with this. From what you're saying, we should have laws; we should have requirements that people be protected by studies of the devices and of the electronics so we know what we're getting into and what we're being exposed to. Your answer so far has been that there have been some epidemiological studies. Are there any laws in Europe or in Turkey or wherever where they've actually laid down as laws? Things that make people safer or make people more aware even?
KS: Let me start again with the United States. In 1996 we passed the telecommunications act under Clinton. Section 704 states that no health or environmental concern may interfere with the placement of telecomm equipment.
Rob: Oh wow, so it's the opposite.
KS: Right. Now, my understanding is that most countries have similar laws; but I'm not going to stop here. We also have FCC guidelines about emissions, how much radiation is a cell tower allowed to emit? That is a regulation provided by our FCC. We also have questions about how much radiation an individual device can transmit. I go into this in the book in more detail, because I can't keep this stuff in my head by memory. But basically, in the last couple of years, companies have been allowed to make devices that transmit much more electromagnetic energy into your brain for example. I could go into describing this, but it's so slippery and complicated. I'll just go ahead and try, and then I'll get to your question about other countries. Okay, I think it was 2013, September of 2013, the FCC changed their definition of the pinna of the ear; those are the outer parts of your ears. In September of 2013, the FCC determined that those outer parts of your ears are extremities. Extremities are allowed to absorb much more radiation than the head and the trunk; your hands and feet are also considered extremities. Now, so are the outer parts of your ear. That means that the outer parts of your ears can absorb a lot more radiation. Now, I know what you're thinking: but the outer part of my ear is really close to my brain.
Rob: Yes.
KS: Exactly so, and right now, because the outer part of the ear is considered an extremity, you can buy a device that will emit more -- like Google Glass for example. By FCC guidelines, it can emit more radiation, because it's going to be within the limits that your ear is allowed to absorb.
Rob: So basically, if anything, they're making things worse, and they're taking away protections that we had by redefining things.
the second half will be posted soon.
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