Illness caused by Wi-Fi ? Color me dubious...

[theo]

I'll try to find and post a direct link with some reporting which is surely less subjectively tainted and cynical than mine is admittedly (and deliberately) below but, in summary, a family has filed a lawsuit against a private school located in Southboro, Massachusetts, claiming that the Wi-Fi there is making their precious attendee ill.

More specifically, they claim that their progeny is a "victim" of (...are you ready? drum roll here please...) Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome.
Whether that "condition" is actually known or acknowledged by anyone in medicine, I certainly cannot and do not claim to know. There was no media mention of the student's grades or social success at the school either.....but $250,000 would apparently help to make little Thurston (not his real name, I hope) somehow feel better.
Whether either parent is a litigator / attorney, I also do not claim to know (...but I might be willing to place a small wager).

The school has had independent contractors measure and assess electromagnetic radiation levels at the school. As reported by news media (so take with a grain of salt), the results indicate levels less than 1/10,000th of anything thought to be in any way potentially harmful to anyone. That would seem to be some serious "hypersensitivity" --- from which anyone and everyone else at this private school is somehow mercifully spared or otherwise apparently immune.

I am not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, nor am I technically knowledgeable about electromagnetic radiation and / or Wi-Fi.
What I am, however, is highly skeptical and wary of frivolous lawsuits (...not that I am implying that this is any such thing). :ignore:

P.S. No mention of little Thurston perhaps transferring to a public school --- maybe even one without any Wi-Fi at all.

 

[Phydeaux]

Good luck to the parents in that one.

The school should counter sue for parental neglect and incompetency. Right, I'm not a lawyer.

 

[RonB]

I googled the term and found words like "purportedly" and "reputed" used in describing the "condition". Our "friend", the World Health Organization has an article on it: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/fs296/en/ .

Everything electric is an EMF generator, so does this poor, suffering child not watch tv, use a computer or cell phone??

Ron

 

[MULTIZ321]

I had previously posted this article on Tug but could not find it with a search.

So here it is again: The Town Without Wi-Fi - by Michael J. Gaynor/ Washingtonian

"The residents of Green Bank, West Virginia, can’t use cell phones, wi-fi, or other kinds of modern technology due to a high-tech government telescope. Recently, this ban has made the town a magnet for technophobes, and the locals aren’t thrilled to have them..."

Tom, a Greenback native, and Monique Grimes, who is electrosensitive


Richard

 

[CarolF]

There is quite a bit of information about the subject floating around. The Royal Academy of Medicine, Belgium has the recent 5th Congress, Program/Presentations (videos/speeches/powerpoint) online. http://appel-de-paris.com/?page_id=1667&lang=en

My local primary school (in Australia) has a WiFi free policy due to health concerns. It is a popular topic of discussion in Europe and earlier this year, France banned WiFi in all Nursery Schools.

http://ehtrust.org/france-new-national-law-bans-wifi-nursery-school/

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...thing-in-the-air/story-fnl1b568-1227237229296

in France, legislation was passed banning wi-fi in nursery schools, and it must be turned off in elementary schools when not in use. The French National Library and other libraries in Paris have removed wi-fi networks. Schools in Frankfurt, in Germany, and Salzburg, in Austria, are also free of wireless networks.

 

[Mosca]

Yeah, what about the background radiation from the formation of the universe?

 

[Ty1on]

Yeah, what about the background radiation from the formation of the universe?

I'm thinking Class Action suit against The Big Bang.

 

[Ty1on]

There is quite a bit of information about the subject floating around. The Royal Academy of Medicine, Belgium has the recent 5th Congress, Program/Presentations (videos/speeches/powerpoint) online. http://appel-de-paris.com/?page_id=1667&lang=en

My local primary school (in Australia) has a WiFi free policy due to health concerns. It is a popular topic of discussion in Europe and earlier this year, France banned WiFi in all Nursery Schools.

http://ehtrust.org/france-new-national-law-bans-wifi-nursery-school/

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/...thing-in-the-air/story-fnl1b568-1227237229296

Baby Einstein made hundreds of millions based upon a single study linking early childhood classical music exposure to intelligence, which has since been debunked. I know you don't offer the anecdotal information of WiFi free policies as proof that there is a health hazard, just want to highlight that sometimes, there are policy overreactions to perceived threats that may not be real.

Cellphones are supposed to be giving us all brain cancer anyway.

 

[theo]

Yeah, what about the background radiation from the formation of the universe?

But who could the aggrieved parents of little Thurston possibly blame (...or sue) for that? And what financial assets would be accessible for a settlement?

Service of process to the Creator (...or to the Cosmos at large) is surely much more easily said than done, no?

 

[Ty1on]

But who could the aggrieved parents of little Thurston possibly blame (...or sue) for that? And what financial assets would be available for a negotiated settlement?

Service of process to the Creator or to the Cosmos at large is probably much more easily said than done...

Are you kidding me? It's the UNIVERSE! There are unseen fortunes out there! Many stars aren't gold mines, they're gold factories!!! I say go for the deep space pockets!

 

[artringwald]

Yeah, what about the background radiation from the formation of the universe?

What about neutrino poisoning from the billions of neutrinos that pass through our bodies every second.

 

[Ty1on]

What about neutrino poisoning from the billions of neutrinos that pass through our bodies every second.

If elected, I will declare all public schools to be neutrino-free and quark-free zones!

 

[SMHarman]

Baby Einstein made hundreds of millions based upon a single study linking early childhood classical music exposure to intelligence, which has since been debunked. I know you don't offer the anecdotal information of WiFi free policies as proof that there is a health hazard, just want to highlight that sometimes, there are policy overreactions to perceived threats that may not be real.

Cellphones are supposed to be giving us all brain cancer anyway.

Cellphones used to cause cancer and still could if people actually used them for phone calls. It is proven than the 2W radio in a phone can disrupt the brain function.

Handset designers have rearranged phone innards to move the radio near the bottom and away from the ear.

WiFi is not powerful enough imho to have the same concerns.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[Ty1on]

Cellphones used to cause cancer and still could if people actually used them for phone calls. It is proven than the 2W radio in a phone can disrupt the brain function.

Handset designers have rearranged phone innards to move the radio near the bottom and away from the ear.

WiFi is not powerful enough imho to have the same concerns.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

Need a lot more time and data before we can say with certainty that cellphone use did or does cause cancer

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/expert-answers/cell-phones-and-cancer/faq-20057798

 

[SMHarman]

With Certainty. Yes. On the balance of probability. I'd say the evidence is there.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[Ty1on]

With Certainty. Yes. On the balance of probability. I'd say the evidence is there.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

It seems the medical community disagrees with you, based on empirical studies.

 

[PigsDad]

Dang! I just bought a tri-band wifi router for my home. I'm probably going to start frying my innards. Who can I sue?!?!?

Kurt

 

[SMHarman]

It seems the medical community disagrees with you, based on empirical studies.

Yep and radiation didn't harm us until it did and thimerosal didn't harm until it did and C8 did not harm until it did.

2W of radio next to the brain and the ear canal, one of the most clear and direct routes through the skull.

Now at home I have WiFi. My light switches and tv remote all use zigbee WiFi and even if I switched mine off the other 27 networks near me would also be washing me in radio waves.

Strength, direction and duration. Are the key concerns here.

In WW2 troops stood in front of the radar arrays to warm themselves up. There is a lot we still don't know.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[Passepartout]

Nothing to worry about here, move on, move on.....

 

[x3 skier]

Unfortunately, anybody can sue anybody over anything.

I, in fact am ready with a suit against political ads that will deluge Ohio as they cause me to suffer such severe cognitive dissonance that I have to seek professional counseling from Madam Utopia via the Internet. The option of turning off the TV is not available since Swami Rastafarian has prescribed a solution to my severe sensitivity to quietness that can only be alleviated by having the TV continuously playing. Other audio stimuli are not suitable according to the Swami since they must be accompanied by totally brainless visual stimuli.

These afflictions are to be reported in the Journal of Irreproducible Results http://www.jir.com as soon as the double blind studies are complete.

The suit, which is being handled by the pre-eminent firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe of Hollywood CA, is planned for Class Action Status. TV Ads soliciting potential clients, who are rumored to be in the millions, are planned to air shortly after the current solicitation for victims of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome gathers the required number of Clients.

I, as the named plaintiff, will receive 0.01% of the proposed settlement while other victims will share in a total of 0.001% and the law firm will be entitled to the remainder of the funds in recognition of their heroic efforts to stop this affliction from infecting the rest of the Nation.

Cheers

 

[MULTIZ321]

Unfortunately, anybody can sue anybody over anything.

I, in fact am ready with a suit against political ads that will deluge Ohio as they cause me to suffer such severe cognitive dissonance that I have to seek professional counseling from Madam Utopia via the Internet. The option of turning off the TV is not available since Swami Rastafarian has prescribed a solution to my severe sensitivity to quietness that can only be alleviated by having the TV continuously playing. Other audio stimuli are not suitable according to the Swami since they must be accompanied by totally brainless visual stimuli.

These afflictions are to be reported in the Journal of Irreproducible Results http://www.jir.com as soon as the double blind studies are complete.

The suit, which is being handled by the pre-eminent firm of Dewey, Cheatum and Howe of Hollywood CA, is planned for Class Action Status. TV Ads soliciting potential clients, who are rumored to be in the millions, are planned to air shortly after the current solicitation for victims of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome gathers the required number of Clients.

I, as the named plaintiff, will receive 0.01% of the proposed settlement while other victims will share in a total of 0.001% and the law firm will be entitled to the remainder of the funds in recognition of their heroic efforts to stop this affliction from infecting the rest of the Nation.

Cheers

To ensure impartiality - this suit must be brought equidistant between Ohio and Colorado.


Richard

 

[geekette]

I googled the term and found words like "purportedly" and "reputed" used in describing the "condition". Our "friend", the World Health Organization has an article on it: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/publications/facts/fs296/en/ .

Everything electric is an EMF generator, so does this poor, suffering child not watch tv, use a computer or cell phone??

Ron

I kind of assumed that Junior and his family lived in an underground cave with tinfoil spread over the top.

Why not homeschool if kiddo shouldn't ever leave home??

 

[Ty1on]

Yep and radiation didn't harm us until it did and thimerosal didn't harm until it did and C8 did not harm until it did.

2W of radio next to the brain and the ear canal, one of the most clear and direct routes through the skull.

Now at home I have WiFi. My light switches and tv remote all use zigbee WiFi and even if I switched mine off the other 27 networks near me would also be washing me in radio waves.

Strength, direction and duration. Are the key concerns here.

In WW2 troops stood in front of the radar arrays to warm themselves up. There is a lot we still don't know.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

It takes TIME to empirically learn carcinogenic effects. I'm not saying it isn't carcinogenic, I'm saying it's premature to say undoubtedly that it IS. And that is what WHO is saying. It is possible. The probability is not known.

Remember Radon Detectors? For every example you cited, I can probably cite a case of public hysteria that was for naught.

 

[SMHarman]

Radon build up in enclosed spaces is a problem though. If you live on granite you should be aware of the radon risks and ensure proper ventilation.

Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk

 

[x3 skier]

To ensure impartiality - this suit must be brought equidistant between Ohio and Colorado.


Richard

Actually, to assure it receives the immediate approval of Class Status, it will be filed in the 9th District (California) where everything that's totally stupid gets approved with an almost instantaneous settlement highly favorable to the Plantiff Bar. This is acceptable since I, the lead Plantiff, lived there for a year when Governor Moonbeam first ran for governor and aired a political ad during a professional wrestling show. This was the first attack I suffered and the initial damage was done to my tender psyche. Filing in OH or CO would almost assuredly result in the suit being dismissed as idiotic.

Cheers