World Health Organization announcement re: cell phone cancer risk

[B-Fly]

Have y'all seen/read enough to change your cell phone habits? More often than not, I'm pretty dismissive about day-to-day public health warnings, fueled into conflagrations of fear by an eager media. But it seems like the quantity and quality of the medical concerns being raised about cell phones has been rising, and it's scary to think how much time many of us and our loved ones are spending with these phones attached to us, whether in active use or even just receiving signals while in our pockets.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/index.html

[senorsheep]

The global conspiracy to kill off teenage girls is finally coming into being.

The War On Women rages on... :beavis:

[TranaGreg]

Have y'all seen/read enough to change your cell phone habits? More often than not, I'm pretty dismissive about day-to-day public health warnings, fueled into conflagrations of fear by an eager media. But it seems like the quantity and quality of the medical concerns being raised about cell phones has been rising, and it's scary to think how much time many of us and our loved ones are spending with these phones attached to us, whether in active use or even just receiving signals while in our pockets.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31...nes/index.html

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while ... having said that I've tried to change my habits (i.e. not keeping them on me except when absolutley necessary) ... but they're tough to break.

[cardboardbox]

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while ... having said that I've tried to change my habits (i.e. not keeping them on me except when absolutley necessary) ... but they're tough to break.

women at least can put it in their purse but we have it in our pockets usually.

I've tried to use my land line more often when possible.

[primetime]

It's funny that most people that you hear complain about the "potential" dangers of cell phone radiation are fat and eat crappy food and never go to a gym to keep themselves in shape. There are tons of people that die every day from being overweight or out of shape yet people get caught up in a report that says people may possibly, at some point, face some potential problem from overuse of cell phones. Meanwhile there there is a mcdonalds, burger king, wendy's and taco bell within 2 miles of everyones house/work.

[TranaGreg]

It's funny that most people that you hear complain about the "potential" dangers of cell phone radiation are fat and eat crappy food and never go to a gym to keep themselves in shape. There are tons of people that die every day from being overweight or out of shape yet people get caught up in a report that says people may possibly, at some point, face some potential problem from overuse of cell phones. Meanwhile there there is a mcdonalds, burger king, wendy's and taco bell within 2 miles of everyones house/work.

when the source of the latest warning is the World Health Organization, I'd suggest that this has a bit more traction than just a bunch of fatties whining.

Actually I find most people complaining about potential dangers of cell phone usage tend to be wearing Birkenstocks.

bottom line - the burden of proof is screwed up. The onus is on the scientific community to prove that it's dangerous, rather than on the industry to prove that they're safe.

[cardboardbox]

It's funny that most people that you hear complain about the "potential" dangers of cell phone radiation are fat and eat crappy food and never go to a gym to keep themselves in shape. There are tons of people that die every day from being overweight or out of shape yet people get caught up in a report that says people may possibly, at some point, face some potential problem from overuse of cell phones. Meanwhile there there is a mcdonalds, burger king, wendy's and taco bell within 2 miles of everyones house/work.

we all know about the health dangers of food like that so its really not newsworthy any more to point it out.

[Cobain's Ghost]

women at least can put it in their purse but we have it in our pockets usually.

right by the prostate and gonads. boy, those are two places guys never get cancer. :nervous:

[Kevin Seitzer]

An old-timey cell phone like I have doesn't radiate when it's in my pocket and not transmitting for a call. I don't know about these new-fangled "smart" phones that are constantly checking Facebook and what not whenever they damn well please.

[senorsheep]

I think I have an idea for a new Funky Winkerbean story line...

[Friarfan]

An old-timey cell phone like I have doesn't radiate when it's in my pocket and not transmitting for a call. I don't know about these new-fangled "smart" phones that are constantly checking Facebook and what not whenever they damn well please.

/old man mode on/

Back in my day, we didn't have no Nintendo! We just stared at the sun until our eyes bled. And we LIKED IT!!!

/old man mode off/

[chancellor]

/old man mode on/

Back in my day, we didn't have no Nintendo! We just drank tequila until our eyes bled. And we LIKED IT!!!

/old man mode off/

Fixed.

[ironfist]

maybe I shouldn't get rid of my POS cellphone, that turns itself off at random, afterall...

[SeaDogStat]

A link with the rankings of available phones from best to worst...
V
V

http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/Get-a-Safer-Phone?allavailable=1

From CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/...els/index.html)

A quick explanation of the numbers: They refer to the "specific absorption rate" or SAR, a common benchmark that measures the rate of radiofrequency energy your body gets from the phone. The lower the number, the lower the radiation exposure. For a phone to be certified by the FCC and sold in the U.S., for example, its maximum SAR level must be less than 1.6 watts per kilogram.

But keep in mind that these are only ballpark figures. Your actual exposure will depend on how you use your phone, your carrier and network-specific conditions. For example, when your connection is weak, your cell phone needs to send out more radiation to reach the cellular tower.

And there's still no conclusive evidence that a phone with a higher SAR level poses a greater health risk -- or any health risk at all -- than a model that emits less radiation.