I have often said that Council (AKA The Moronic Convergence) is stupid and determined to stay that way. A few people have told me I am being too harsh in my judgement. But check this out.

Last month some anti-“smart” meter activists went before Council to take advantage of the “public forum” part of the meeting at the beginning in which people can talk for 3 minutes on any subject not on the agenda.

I did not go because for health reasons I can no longer subject myself to the low-level vibrations and sounds that The Moronic Convergence emits. I have been overexposed. I have reached the saturation point.

Anyway, I just heard from an eyewitness that while one of the speakers was giving his presentation, Council member Jessica Williamson actually held her hands to her ears so she would not have to hear him.

“Stupid and determined to stay that way” is not a harsh figure of speech. It is reality

For 17 years, the Federal Communications Commission has been steadilywhittling away at the power of cities and counties to regulate cell towers.

If the Supreme Court sides with Arlington in this case, this will change the momentum back in favor of local control.

In November 2009, the FCC adopted its infamous “shot clock rule,” under which municipalities must grant or deny permits for telecommunications facilities within very short time periods–90 days for a co-location, and 150 days for a new facility.

In other words, once a company submits an application, if the city doesn’t make a final decision within 90 or 150 days, the tower is deemed automatically approved.

These time periods are so short that local regulations which require adequate public notice, a public hearing, and a procedure for appealing, could no longer be complied with.

The effect would be carte blanche to the telecom companies to build towers wherever and whenever they please, bypassing many if not most local ordinances.

The City of Arlington immediately asked the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to invalidate the new rule, but in January 2012, the Court of Appeals upheld the rule. In October the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case–a sign that it thinks the FCC may have overstepped its authority.

Joining Arlington in its challenge to the FCC are the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the City of San Antonio, the Countyof San Diego, the Texas Coalition of Cities for Utility Issues, and the Cable, Telecommunications, and Technology Committee of the New Orleans City Council.

Amicus (Friend of the Court) briefs in support of Arlington have been submitted by the National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislators, Council of State Governments, International City/County Management Association, Government Finance Officers Association, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, the Cato Institute, the Southern Company, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the US Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Home Builders, NFIB Small Builders Legal Center, National Mining Association, Retail Litigation Center, International Municipal Lawyers Association, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, National League of Cities, US Council of Mayors, National Association ofCounties, City of Carlsbad, California, City of Dubuque, Iowa, National Water Resources Association, Association of California Water Agencies, and Westlands Water District.

Briefs in support of the FCC were submitted only by CTIA-the Wireless Association, Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and PCIA-The Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Arthur Cellular Phone Task Force info@cellphonetaskforce.org
http://weepnews.blogspot.com/2013/01/wifi-in-schools-facts-magnetic-helmet.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FFAZOH+%28WEEP+News%29

The introduction of digitally operated appliances has had the effect of lowering the demand for things like electricity as reported by the US Energy Information Administration this summer, is showing a decrease.

So, consider how efficiently the digital “smart” meters can feed the utility companies’ need for more money and how the manufacturers of every appliance we currently have will need replacement with something touted to be compatible with the “new” technology that is WiFi based.

Save your analog meter. Make your voice heard.

Now, it appears, American consumers also may have reason to worry about their water meters.

Word of the issue comes from a resident of Arden Hills, Minn., who is fighting the city’s demand to install new remote reading units on all city water meters because of the possible health and privacy impacts that he says still are undetermined.

Arden Hills officials announced months ago that they were upgrading their remote water meter reading system with units from a company called Badger Meter.

Public Works Director Terry Maurer told WND that all of the actively used meters in the city – except one – have been changed.

The apparent holdout is Steve Cook, a website operator, who says there are privacy concerns that should be alarming, as well as health issues that have raised still-unanswered questions.

“The new smart water meter’s signal is stronger than a cell phone or cordless telephone,” Cook told WND. “We all know about the health studies of people who are on cell phones too much. Cell phones should not be near your head hours a day, seven days a week because the signal is not …. good for you – the same goes for cordless phones.”

He continued: “Well, these new water meters will be right in your home, only a few feet from infants, kids, and adults, sending an even stronger signal 24/7 using the 450-470 Mhz band, making it a major health concern. Can you accept that?”

WND previously reported on the dispute over “smart meters,” the electric grid units that transmit radio waves and have been linked to heart irregularities, memory loss, anxiety, dizziness, nausea, headaches and insomnia.

The report noted that multiple studies have documented such problems, and the World Health Organization officially has recognized that wireless radiation such as that emitted by smart meters is a possible carcinogen.

Further, WND reported that more studies have tied cell phones to problems, including tumors.

In fact, Apple routinely warns mobile phone users to keep iPhones 5/8 of an inch “away from your body to ensure exposure levels remain at or below the maximum levels.”

Cook says the city told him officials were confident of the safety of the system, but the manufacturer declined to return WND requests for comment about its “high-power” transmitters that are integral to the system.

But its website notes that its products are powerful enough for various Wi-Fi, direct computer connection, cellular network, point-to-point radio connections and “other” networks.

City officials said the new radio transmission would not be significantly different from what previously was used.

Cook also raises privacy concerns, noting that the system is set up to monitor water consumption every four seconds.

Have the flu and flush at 2 a.m.? The city could know, he said.

“If you stop using water for the night at 10 p.m. the city will know because they will get signals during the night of no water usage. If the city gets a signal at 2 a.m. saying you used 1.5 gallons, then the city knows you just flushed your toilet. The government does not need to know when we flush our toilet (each flush uses the same amount of water in your home). They will even use the information to prosecute you if you water your lawn on the wrong days,” he told WND.

“After a few weeks usage patterns will emerge. The city will see water not being used specific times of day and on specific days of the week giving the city (and anyone else) information regarding when we are gone for work/school. We cannot trust government officials with this data OR even the company that sends the signal to the city. Worse yet, the Freedom of Information act allows this data to be given to anyone who asks, including prospective burglars and pedophiles who can figure out when we are home and when we are gone, making it a prime database for criminals,” he said…

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/now-radio-waves-coming-from-your-faucet/#LW04mrVKZWm8OP7b.99

Submitted by Nancy Baer.

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/your-tv-watching-you-latest-models-raise-concerns-483619