Great - cell towers in our children's parks.

Oh boo hoo. Your children get more exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from the various appliances in your home than they ever will from exposure to these cell towers. We live in a world full of EMR. I'd be willing to bet that most of the people bitching about cell towers in parks and other locations have cell phones and bitch about poor service in the areas that lack an adequate number of towers to provide better service. Can't have it both ways folks.

Menlo Voter - so that's why your always so cranky, too much EMR exposure.

No Bob, I'm cranky because I have no patience for the scientific ignorance of Americans. Americans are scientifically illiterate, in general and I am tired of dealing with their stupididity. Do a little research. You'll find that all this EMR BS has been thoroughly debunked. By REAL scientists that is. NOT the bozos that try to pass themselves off as having some credibility. Americans have a serious deficit in critical thinking. We all suffer for that lack.

Run it up the flagpole and see who salutes.

To Menlo Voter - re: your comments about the scientific illiteracy of Americans - I absolutely, "second that emotion". Also, "props" to the MP Planning Commission. I was shocked that a MP PC would approve cell towers-its great to see there are finally some forward thinking, open minded people serving. Finally, to City Council, odds are one of the scientifically illiterate residents that Menlo Voter mentioned will appeal the PC decision to City Council-don't screw it up.

Think about the EMR exposure emanating from a cell phone transmitter that intersects with an occasional pedestrian walking a few hundred feet away from a 100 foot tall tower.

Perhaps you should compare that to the EMR exposure on a kid's nose as it is pressed against the microwave oven window watching the popcorn pop a few inches away a few nights a week.

I'm not qualified to do the physics calculations, but I'm sure someone reading this post is.

The kids are carrying around cell phones. I'm not worried about the additional radiation they're getting from towers.

MenloVoter & POGO are right.

Besides, with more cell towers, kids won't have dangerous phones stuck to their ears for as long a time trying to get a signal or recover dropped calls. If you're really worried about the emissions, do not let your kids be within 10 feet of an in-use microwave & take away, or better yet never give them, cell phones.

Yes, there certainly is some scientific ignorance out there. Be especially careful of the advice from individuals who are labeled "REAL SCIENTIST -(R, place of residence)", as they might just have an agenda, hidden or not.

First of all, microwave ovens are shielded to prevent high frequency radiation from escaping; that's what that metal mesh on the door is for. The fact that you can damage that containment (the Faraday Cage) that contains the radiation is the reason most experts will advise you not to work on them yourself.

Second, yes there is lot's of EMR from appliances in the home. Although, not in the microwave region of the spectrum, with the exception of communications devices, mostly in the miliwatt power range; making them less likely to cause damage.

Third, it is pretty well known that high frequency radiation is mutagenic, causing damage to genetic material.

And finally, I know it's hard, like differentiating changes in the weather from climate change; but just saying: "we've all been exposed to cell phone towers; how come we don't all have cancer?" is not a valid argument.

The link between exposure to hazards (whether chemical, microwave radiation or standing on the top step of a ladder) and health impacts is neither binary nor instantaneous. Some hazards will only show their impacts in an practical time period of examination when accelerated by increased dose or duration of exposure. For example standing on the top step of the ladder to put the star on the XMAS tree for five minutes every December is dangerous. But your risk from it is much smaller than someone who stands on the top step of a ladder for 4 hours a day outdoors in wind, rain and cold. This accelerated testing may seem invalid to some; but it is the reason your TV or radio will most likely outlive you!

In summary, there probably are minimal unknown, difficult to quantify health consequences to exposure to cell towers, but they are not likely to become evident overnight. They may only become 'apparent' when examined some 25 years from now by means of a small but statistically significant increase in health consequences of the population. Since the majority of people will have moved several times during that time period, it'll likely never be seen clearly.
It all comes down to the basic question: Is it worth the risk; are there better alternatives?

Good post by Daveo.

Daveo said "it all comes down to the basic question: Is it worth the risk; are there better alternatives?"

EXACTLY.

We take risks all the time. We use chemicals, cross streets, stand on ladders, eat processed foods, take drugs. We don't live in a bubble.

You are probably taking a bigger chance leaving your kid with the baby sitter than the exposure from a cell phone tower.

A cell tower story and some cell emission humor.

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So how many of the cell tower worriers have WiFi in their homes or take their kids to restaurants like McDonalds or Starbucks that have it? It is not just the power of the EMF emitter but the proximity to it, i.e. the worry over kids using cell phones a couple inches from their brain.
If you are genuinely worried about EMF emissions NEVER use a cell phone in your home or have WiFi - I doubt whether all these complainers would do that!!!

"If you are genuinely worried about EMF emissions NEVER use a cell phone in your home or have WiFi - I doubt whether all these complainers would do that!!!"

Of course they won't. The real reason these people don't want the towers is because they think they are ugly, but that isn't as pwerful as "your endangering our children."

Responsible people don't oppose Cell Towers, but only the irresponsible placement of Cell Towers near populations and especially schools. If you really want to know about the adverse impacts of Cell Towers, from reducing property values, to adverse health impacts, go to AntiCellTowerLawyers.com and see their "Questions and Answers" and "Links" pages.

Aren't those the same lawyers that sued Toyota for faulty accelerator software and Dow Corning for silicone breast implants? Lawyers couldn't be wrong, could they? They certainly wouldn't have a financial interest in making this a problem, would they?

Getting scientific information from a lawyer's website makes as much sense as relying on legal advice from your chemistry professor.

It seems clear that abusing each other online takes precedence over logical thinking. At a minimum, a cell tower will impact property values. To say that we already have EMF in our environment is hardly an argument to add more. As to scientists, there seems to be enough credible scientific information to suggest that there is a reasonable issue about the harmful effects of cell towers.

Alan:

yes, they might impact property values. ONly because Americans are so scientifically illiterate that they are afraid of the electro magnetic "boogy man." They have towers that look like trees, by the way.

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