Chinese Water Torture

Many purveyors, purchasers and addicts of wireless technology are convinced that those tiny, invisible radio waves pose no health concern whatsoever. Common defensive tactics include noting that radio frequencies have been around for more than 100 years, that only ionizing radiation is harmful, or that much more electromagnetic radiation reaches us from the sun, as compared to man-made wireless transmitters.

Those who understand how silly those claims are, but still wish to deny the inherent risks, have a different approach: to confuse us with math. They say, such-and-such device or piece of infrastructure emits a small percentage of the FCC's allowable RF emissions. Or, this product's power is fraction of a watt and has an SAR value of less than 1.5. The most dubious claim, purported time and time again by wireless utility meter proponents, is that they only transmit for a few seconds a day. Our fears are supposed to be completely allayed with the knowledge that a Smart gas, water, or electric Meter is no different than an alarm clock, predictably and briefly performing its necessary function, while sitting idle the other 23 hours, 59 minutes and however many seconds each day.

In reality, these meters send pulses constantly. I've even discovered seemingly innocent-looking analog water and electric meters that pulse between 4 and 200 times per minute, often for "drive-by" readings that are taken once every two or three months. Depending on the configuration of the meter and antenna, these pulses can be measurable up to 25 feet away, through walls and floors. It's so easy for the people making money on these devices to time average these signals and state that the emissions are very small, but like a dripping faucet, it's not the total volume that matters. It's the effect of a small repeating annoyance, over time, that will take a toll, especially when we are trying to sleep.

Biologically, the effect that periodic pulses of RF radiation can have on the body is not unlike post-traumatic stress disorder. Brief electrical blows to a persons nervous system can build and build to the point that each new one becomes excruciating. A veteran who has returned from war knows this all too well, as any loud noise or surprise can instantly trigger their fight or flight response. Once an individual's sympathetic nervous system has been taxed beyond a certain tipping point, every "low-level" stressor becomes unmanageable.

One of the best websites to help understand this mechanism is Harvard's Center For the Developing Child.

When we are threatened, our bodies prepare us to respond by increasing our heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones, such as cortisol.

These three terms refer to the stress response systems' effects on the body, not to the stressful event or experience itself:

Positive stress response is a normal and essential part of healthy development, characterized by brief increases in heart rate and mild elevations in hormone levels. Some situations that might trigger a positive stress response are the first day with a new caregiver or receiving an injected immunization.

Tolerable stress response activates the body’s alert systems to a greater degree as a result of more severe, longer-lasting difficulties, such as the loss of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a frightening injury. If the activation is time-limited and buffered by relationships with adults who help the child adapt, the brain and other organs recover from what might otherwise be damaging effects.

Toxic stress response can occur when a child experiences strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity—such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship—without adequate adult support. This kind of prolonged activation of the stress response systems can disrupt the development of brain architecture and other organ systems, and increase the risk for stress-related disease and cognitive impairment, well into the adult years.

When toxic stress response occurs continually, or is triggered by multiple sources, it can have a cumulative toll on an individual’s physical and mental health—for a lifetime. The more adverse experiences in childhood, the greater the likelihood of developmental delays and later health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, substance abuse, and depression.

While it is very inconvenient to admit and difficult to talk about, Smart Meters, cell phones, WiFi, and gaming consoles all cause toxic stress response over time, especially in the younger, more vulnerable segments of our population.

Exposing people, especially our children, to constantly pulsing electromagnetic signals is not only toxic, but abusive and criminal. Unless we rewire our world and drastically reduce the amount of frivolous, incessant electromagnetic RF fields, our children will continue to be rewired to constantly be on alert, leading to an increase in nearly every chronic health problem imaginable.

It's up to us.