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#91 From: Betty Kreeger <bjkreeger@...>
Date: Sat Dec 1, 2007 5:56 am
Subject: Re: Fwd: [bayareamcslist] in SF eye doctor
bjkreeger
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Send Email Send Email
 
Oh, hey, Bart join the Society of the Rejected by Suzanne.  Goodness knows that this is neither local, nor MCS-related (can you see my tongue in my cheek?) :):)  Oh, and not useful either -- as I am sure that none of the 160 people on Bay Area MCS List would need glasses and if they did they certainly wouldn't want to get them from a place that (a) doesn't reek of perfume and (b) where the opticians actually understand the issue.  I know I certainly enjoyed having to run from the opticians due to being unable to breathe when I tried to get my last pair of glasses!!
 
Thanks for sharing this information.
 
Betty

Bart <yaahoobart@...> wrote:
This information was rejected for posting at bayareamcslist. I'm posting it here with an OK from this group's moderator. 

Just in case it is useful to someone. Cheers.


Bart <yaahoobart@yahoo.com> wrote:
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:03:19 -0800 (PST)
From: Bart <yaahoobart@yahoo.com>
Subject: Fwd: [bayareamcslist] in SF eye doctor
To: bayareamcslist@yahoogroups.com

I live in SF. One day in the upper Haight, I stopped in City Optix and had a conversation about chemicals and fragrances. I smelled nothing in the place, and the two women I talked to said that they are very aware of the issue and that no one in the place wears anything smelly or toxic.

I have not done more than that. But when I'm ready for new glasses, I'll go there.

Here's a review site for the non-mcs issues.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zkv_9-j9MyQudfOIRHvMSw#hrid:EZ09dcjyJniEIvx74Sg-JA/query:city%20optix

Bart





Betty
 
"Be the change you wish to see in the world. "
(Mahatma Gandhi)
 
 

#90 From: Bart <yaahoobart@...>
Date: Sat Dec 1, 2007 4:19 am
Subject: Fwd: [bayareamcslist] in SF eye doctor
yaahoobart
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
This information was rejected for posting at bayareamcslist. I'm posting it here with an OK from this group's moderator. 

Just in case it is useful to someone. Cheers.


Bart <yaahoobart@...> wrote:
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:03:19 -0800 (PST)
From: Bart <yaahoobart@...>
Subject: Fwd: [bayareamcslist] in SF eye doctor
To: bayareamcslist@yahoogroups.com

I live in SF. One day in the upper Haight, I stopped in City Optix and had a conversation about chemicals and fragrances. I smelled nothing in the place, and the two women I talked to said that they are very aware of the issue and that no one in the place wears anything smelly or toxic.

I have not done more than that. But when I'm ready for new glasses, I'll go there.

Here's a review site for the non-mcs issues.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zkv_9-j9MyQudfOIRHvMSw#hrid:EZ09dcjyJniEIvx74Sg-JA/query:city%20optix

Bart



#89 From: Betty Kreeger <bjkreeger@...>
Date: Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:15 pm
Subject: Selectively Screening Email Posts [Was Bay Leaves]
bjkreeger
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Suzanne,
 
Your response is dismissive and insulting.  And who is the "we" in "we encourage you to join one or more national groups."  First of all, you and you alone are the sole decider of what is posted on BayAreaMCSList, so who is the we you are talking about? 
 
Furthermore, my offer of Bay Leaves to people attending the LOCAL EHN meeting is not a NATIONAL issue.  There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about my post that was not local and or MCS related.  It was no less either of these criteria than my "For Sale" post just a day or two earlier. 
 
Further the local pesticide-related [Alameda County] email that you refused to post from another local MCS member the other day also met your deminis criteria and yet you also refused to post that.  Pesticide is a huge MCS-related issue and the fact that the issue concerned the Bay Area made it local. 
 
Last year you refused to post an email from another member requesting assistance and instead argued extensively with this person about her changing the content of the email, which she did.  Then because you didn't like those changes, you made your own changes to reflect what you thought it should say.  You also did that to one of my emails.  You've refused to post my emails in the past for reasons that I could never figure out stating that "people on the list are too sick."  That is not a good reason to not post messages.  Even sick people (and we all fall into that category) have the ability to decide what to read and what not to read.  So all of this begs the question of just how many other people's relevant emails has your "mood at the moment" decision making process weeded out that we would be interested in reading about?
 
When you selectively decide what does and does not constitute your personal ever changing definiton of what is "local and MCS-related" how can anyone guess what may or may not fit into that category. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to your decision making process other than your own mood at the moment. 
 
MCS lists are here to serve the MCS community and your discriminatory tactics in no way serves this local MCS community to the extent that it could.  This list could be something truly powerful and empowering, which you could be proud of, instead it appears you have turned in into your own little power trip. What a pity.
 
If people want to join a list where honest and open discussions can take place and you can post without having your posts changed or the owner refusing to post them, I invite you to join the other local list - BayCanaryGrapvine Yahoo group. 
 
 
Betty

suzanneio@... wrote:
Hi Betty,
 
Posts that are not both local and MCS-related are screened out. For general MCS information or chat we encourage you to join one or more of the national groups.
 
Suzanne
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Betty Kreeger [mailto:bjkreeger@...]
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 5:01 PM
To: Suzanne Olson
Subject: Bay Leaves
 
Suzanne,
 
On Tuesday I sent the following email to BayAreaMCSList for posting.  I note that you have posted several messages of "others" since I sent this to the group.  However, you have not posted my offer of Bay Leaves.  Since this message in no way violates your "new criteria" for posting to the group, I am mystified as to why you have not posted it.
 
Just so you know, I have blind copied this message to many of the people on the list, and I think we all deserve an answer as to why you are selectively screening out messages that are of the benefit to everyone in the local MCS community. 
 
The Tuesday post is as follows:
 
Hi everyone.....
 
Would anyone like some fresh Bay Leaves? 
 
There is this gigantic Bay tree across the street from me.  They never pesticide/insecticide this tree so while not technically organic, the City does not use pesticide/insecticide on it.  I use these regularly for soups, and since I just bought a dehydrator I'm going to dehydrate some too. 
 
Please email me directly if you would like to have some of these aromatic leaves and I'll bring a bunch to the meeting on Saturday.
Betty
 
Betty
 
"Be the change you wish to see in the world. "
(Mahatma Gandhi)
 
 



Betty
 
"Be the change you wish to see in the world. "
(Mahatma Gandhi)
 
 

#88 From: "Maxina Ventura" <beneficialbug@...>
Date: Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:27 am
Subject: Re: Re: Fwd: john rusmisel responses & pdf file
beneficialbug
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Hi Lorraine,
 
I couldn't see photos though I could see the report. I would appreciate it if you would send me whatever version you have that I might be able to view!
 
Thanks,
Maxina Ventura
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 8:57 AM
Subject: [BayCanaryGrapevine] Re: Fwd: john rusmisel responses & pdf file

hm, couldn't find attachment, images didn't show up. I feel they were useful in understanding more fully what john was communicating.  Those who are interested, can email me and i can send them the file with the images and pdf file. My daughter's here for her last 3 days of visiting b4 going back to austr. ~ today being the last.  I'm leaving for the weekend tomorrow morn, so i'll only be able to send them out by tonite, then next week when i get back. 

Keep those cards and letters comin' in!  I hope this is useful for everyone.  At least we can start the conversation.  We're moving a lot of info to john at this time. He's sending some to us as well, so let's keep making use of this opportunity to make a difference for us all.  Maybe we can sit down with them after doing this preliminary dousing in information, understanding each other's point of view, and make some headway in changing things for our health.

Already we've come to understand that some of what we thought they were doing they're actually not doing.  Anyway, keep it up.  We'll 'talk' next week. 

Peace,
lorraine

--- In BayCanaryGrapevine@yahoogroups.com, isis feral <isisferal@...> wrote:
>
> Well, I'm personally relieved that they are not using more adulticides currently (wish they wouldn't use any), but I worry about the open-ended language that could open up a door in the future, under someone else's watch.
>
> I think that saying DEET is safe for babies is "pushing", certainly endorsing and encouraging, considering that DEET is what's being sold to unsuspecting parents everywhere. How many people go to these power point presentations, compared to how many people go to their website in search of trustworthy answers? ACMAD's claim that DEET is safe for babies is just plain irresponsible. Children are much more likely to get sick from DEET than from WNV, in fact they cause very similar neurological illnesses. Preventing WNV with DEET is like putting out a match with a blowtorch... Many, many, many more people die of pesticide injuries each year than of WNV.
>
> Picaridin appears to still be too new to be discussed much, but it is a synthetic chemical with many unknowns, and it certainly shouldn't be peddled to parents as proven safe. I could find no Material Safety Data Sheet for it. If you look it up at PAN, one of the sites John Rusmisel recommended, it is littered with question marks. Insufficient data does not imply safety.
>
> Neither does risk assessment, nor is it truly science to make a lot of theoretical assumptions about various made up scenarios, like the document by Peterson, et al. As someone already injured by pesticides, I'm so tired of being an acceptable risk. I'd like to see the precautionary principle applied in these situations, not risk assessment. For a bit of counter "risk assessment" of WNV, see some of the links below (including www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org, the website John Rusmisel referred to), which show that there is no WNV epidemic, and that these extreme measures to combat mosquitoes can actually contribute to turning WNV into a much worse problem, not to mention poisoning many in the process.
>
> Maxina Ventura, from East Bay Pesticide Alert, made a statement to ACMAD and John Rusmisel, which is among many relevant links on EBPA's WNV page, here:
> http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/West%20Nile%20Virus.html
>
> For direct links to the most immediately important documents:
>
> Here's Max's 2005 statement to ACMAD, which describes her child falling ill as a result of a neighbor spraying in response to the WNV panic:
> http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/alameda_mad_statement.html
>
> Here are two articles that reveal the WNV panic to be totally out of proportion with the actual threat. There is NO EPIDEMIC of WNV. There is however an epidemic of people dying from the various effects of pesticide poisoning:
> http://www.ecotalk.org/WestNileVirusNews.htm
> http://www.ecotalk.org/WestNileVirus&Pesticides.htm
>
> Also, again, the Overkill expose, which counters all the arguments mosquito abatement programs make for the "need" to use toxics:
> http://www.meepi.org/wnv/overkillma.htm
>
> For examples of others fighting toxic WNV measures:
> http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/WestNileVirus.pdf (San Luis Obispo)
> http://www.nospray.org/ (New York)
>
> Oh, how I wish our municipalities would get off the toxic treadmill, and would stop believing the panic hype of the chemical industry...
>
> Isis
>
>
> isis feral isisferal@... wrote: Forwarded from Lorraine, with hopefully all pictures and attachments intact:
>
>
>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 2:50:36 PM
> Subject: RE: Dirty Decade Report
>
>
>
> Lorraine,
>
> I enjoyed our discussion on the pesticides used by our district.
>
> You might find the following websites interesting/helpful:
>
> http://www.panna.org/ Pesticide Action Network
>
> http://www.beyondpesticides.org/ They have a section on mosquito management for west nile virus that I think we follow pretty well at:
> http://www.beyondpesticides.org/mosquito/reportsandpublications/mosquito%20_strategy.pdf
>
> http://www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org/index.html This group is against the adulticide treatments done by the Sacramento/Yolo mosquito and vector control district which is run by David Brown, a friend of mine.
> I know he would prefer to do larvicidal treatments but there comes a time during an epidemic when broader treatments are called for to save lives. What are the alternatives for mosquito control districts? If we don't do wide spread adulticiding treatments during a west nile virus outbreak and people die how does that compare with doing the treatments and possibly harming people with chemical sensitivities?
>
> We have been extremely fortunate in Alameda County to have avoided having to use truck mounted foggers in residential neighborhoods to control mosquitoes. Even though all of the counties that border Alameda County have had multiple human cases of West Nile Virus and some deaths, we have not had a single, locally acquired, human case of West Nile Virus.
>
> I always welcome questions regarding our control program from interested individuals.
>
> John R. Rusmisel
>
>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:01:44 PM
> Subject: RE: [BayCanaryGrapevine] Digest Number 60
>
> Lorraine,
> After reading the response, I would say that we don't "push" DEET. In fact, we have been showing numerous alternatives to DEET in our power point presentations that we have been giving throughout the county. There are several good alternatives including a new material that will soon be tested in California.
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0726_050726_deet.html This article mentions Picaridin and lemon eucalyptus oil which are good alternatives. There is also another product called bite blocker which is being used by some people – it is soybean based. http://www.biteblocker.com/intro.html
>
> While we have never used much adulticides in the past, our website (control program) does mention the use of Scourge as the product we would use. That has been changed to Pyrenone 25-5 for the simple reason that it does have less PBO in it than other pesticides registered to control adult mosquitoes. This year we have used no (zero) adulticides. Last year we used .1 ounce of pyrenone to calibrate the equipment.
>
> For storm drain and catch basin treatments we use both solid and liquid formulations of bacteria and Altosid (chemical name methoprene s). We also on occasion use Golden bear oil but this is more and more infrequent in use and is part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program that is geared more to reducing the possibility of insecticide resistance in the mosquitoes than for daily use. During the rainy season (November – April) we don't actively target stormdrains because they are being flushed out regularly. In the dry season the drains don't flow (except in areas where people over water their lawns or leave water flowing into the gutter while washing their cars) which is why they produce so many mosquitoes. I don't know why anyone would care whether the Bti is added to a stormdrain in a liquid or solid material. We have been using more Water Soluble Packet (WSP) formulations because it is a "cleaner" method of delivering the proper dosage to a basin.
>
> I am attaching a study done a couple of years ago that looked at the risk of human exposure to pesticides used for WNV mosquito control. It is a little (ok – a lot) on the dry side but it is interesting. I doubt if people with chemical sensitivities will agree with the conclusions.
>
>
>
>
> Slide from our West Nile information presentations – I use the lemon eucalyptus oil regularly when I am in the sierras. DEET is a plasticizer that eats fly fishing lines so I don't use it.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We use Bti and Bacillus sphaericus for bacterial control. Growth hormone = Altosid = Methoprene s. Oil is GB 1111 or Goldenbear oil.
>
>
>
>
> For what its worth . . . the materials we use are often less toxic than the alternatives that others suggest we use.
>
>
>
> John R. Rusmisel
> District Manager
> Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
> (510) 783-7744 x 17
> (510) 783-3903 FAX
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.
>


No virus found in this incoming message.
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#87 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Fri Nov 30, 2007 3:39 am
Subject: Re: Re: Fwd: john rusmisel responses & pdf file
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
I'm very confused by the missing attachment and pictures from Lorraine's mailing... The group settings allow for attachments... I wonder if this has something to do with whether people are receiving posts in digest form vs. individual emails. It came through when it showed back up in my inbox as an individual email. I checked in the archives of the group, but neither the pictures nor the attachment were stored in there either...

I did find an online link to the document that was attached, but could not find the slides John Rusmisel sent anywhere online. I found the attachment, though it looks slightly different, online at the following URL: http://www.ehponline.org/members/2005/8667/8667.pdf

This is entitled "A Human-Health Risk Assessment for West Nile Virus and Insecticides Used in Mosquito Management". The only thing that seems to be missing from the online version is the list of abbreviations, and the outline of contents, both of which I'm pasting below. The tables in the online version appear in the text, not as an addendum as it was in the PDF sent by John Rusmisel:

List of Abbreviations:
AB Dermal absorption rate
AHS Adjusted hand surface area
BW Body weight
CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CF Conversion factor
CSFII Continuing Surveys for Food Intake by Individuals
D Duration of exposure
DEEM Dietary Exposure Evaluation Model
DR Dislodgeable residue
EEC Estimated Exposure Concentration
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
FA Frequency of activity
FCID Food Commodity Intake Database
HAS Adult hand surface area
ISCST Industrial Source Complex Short Term model
LOAEL Lowest-observed-adverse-effect-level
LOEL Lowest-observed-effect-level
NOAEL No-observed-adverse-effect level
NOEL No-observed-effect-level
NRC National Research Council
NYCDOH New York City Department of Health
PE Potential Exposure
PHED Pesticide Handler Exposure Database
RfD Reference Dose
RQ Risk Quotient
RR Respiratory rate
SA Surface area
SE Number of spray events
SEF Saliva Extraction factor
SETAC Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
SI Soil ingestion
SW Soil weight
TDE Total dermal exposure
THD Total hand dermal exposure
UF Uncertainty Factor
ULV Ultra-low-volume
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
USEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency
WN West Nile
WNV West Nile Virus


Outline of manuscript section headers
Abstract
Introduction
Material and Methods
Problem formulation
Hazard identification
Toxicity endpoints
Environmental concentrations and fate of insecticides
Acute exposure
Acute inhalation exposure
Acute dermal exposure from spray deposition
Acute hand-to-mouth exposure from spray deposition on hands
Acute ingestion of garden produce
Subchronic exposure
Subchronic inhalation, dermal, and hand-to-mouth exposures
Subchronic hand-to-mouth exposure from deposition on surfaces
Subchronic ingestion of garden produce
Subchronic dermal contact with soil and other surfaces
Subchronic soil ingestion
Risk characterization
Results
West Nile virus risks
Acute risks from insecticides
Subchronic risks from insecticides
Discussion
Conservatism
Uncertainties
Comparing risks
References
Tables


lorraine james <searchless1@...> wrote:
hm, couldn't find attachment, images didn't show up. I feel they were useful in understanding more fully what john was communicating.  Those who are interested, can email me and i can send them the file with the images and pdf file. My daughter's here for her last 3 days of visiting b4 going back to austr. ~ today being the last.  I'm leaving for the weekend tomorrow morn, so i'll only be able to send them out by tonite, then next week when i get back. 

Keep those cards and letters comin' in!  I hope this is useful for everyone.  At least we can start the conversation.  We're moving a lot of info to john at this time. He's sending some to us as well, so let's keep making use of this opportunity to make a difference for us all.  Maybe we can sit down with them after doing this preliminary dousing in information, understanding each other's point of view, and make some headway in changing things for our health.

Already we've come to understand that some of what we thought they were doing they're actually not doing.  Anyway, keep it up.  We'll 'talk' next week. 

Peace,
lorraine



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#86 From: Bart <yaahoobart@...>
Date: Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:40 pm
Subject: Fwd: [stopoverheadspraying] Digest Number 111
yaahoobart
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
You probably already know about this, but I want to make sure.

Santa Cruz and Monterey have been sprayed for the light brown apple moth. The spray's active ingredient is a pheromone -- likely not injurious to humans...?  But the inactive ingredients have caused all kinds of problems.  Some have said SF and Berkeley are next, but I can't find confirmation of that.

So, just FYI...


stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com wrote:
Date: 29 Nov 2007 10:11:16 -0000
From: stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com
To: stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [stopoverheadspraying] Digest Number 111

Stop Overhead Spraying

Messages In This Digest (22 Messages)

Messages

1a.

Re: Pictures of redspots on my car

Posted by: "kathy koviak" hotchili9pepper@...   hotchili9pepper

Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:07 am (PST)

Our local TV news, Channel KSBW, at 5pm, last night was disappointing. Said the Moss Landing group is discontinuing checking out the seagulls, that they reviewed many things that could be hurting the birds, and discounted all the things they knew to test for the Mystery Illness, and no longer will be testing, since they do not have anything else known to test for. So, it is still a mystery illness.

I hope any other groups do not give up. I wish they would have checked the rivers for the red spots, since people have gotten red spots on their cars, so it can't all be attributed to that natural red algae in the ocean, but is an additive from the red spots from the spray, or a chemical reaction from the spray that turned red. We had a few red spots in Monterey, but most were white soapy dried spots - very hard to get off the windshield. We are still getting DRIPS of the stuff from all our trees that are hard to clean off the windshield. I've heard now that the next spraying could be as early as February, not March. About 2 months away.

Thanks to all of you in Santa Cruz that are still working on this. Keep up the great work.

----- Original Message ----
From: Isabelle Jenniches <ijenniches@yahoo.com>
To: stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 10:10:44 PM
Subject: [stopoverheadspraying] Re: Pictures of redspots on my car

More redspotz in the photo section! Thanks, Emphata. Isabelle.

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1b.

I'll be making a quick radio announcement Friday

Posted by: "Emily Levy" juiceforjustice@...   emlevv

Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:02 pm (PST)

Deborah Lindsay, who has an environmental show called Tomorrow Matters
on KRXA540 (AM) from 2-3 p.m. weekdays has offered for me to make an
announcement on the show. I'll be doing it Friday around 2:30 or so.

My plan is to announce as much of this as I can get in:
The float in Saturday's parade
Town Hall meeting in Santa Cruz 12/8
Websites for more info
The importance of making medical reports and damage/cost claims

*Is there anything else that should go on this list? I expect I'll only
have a minute or two, so if we add much more, I'll have to take some
things off.

Also, I'd *love* to give out a phone number people can call if they want
to get connected but don't have internet access. Do any of the groups
have a number they're using?

Thanks,
Emily L.
*
1c.

Re: I'll be making a quick radio announcement Friday

Posted by: "Isabelle Jenniches" ijenniches@...   ijenniches

Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:04 pm (PST)

Great, Emily! I don't have anything to add to the info that goes out.
Please note that the TOWNHALL MEETING on December 9 6-8 PM, not Dec 8!
If nobody else volunteers you could announce my phone # 465 1019.

> Town Hall meeting in Santa Cruz 12/8

1d.

Re: I'll be making a quick radio announcement Friday

Posted by: "Bonnie Keet" BONNIE619@...   bonnie619

Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:21 pm (PST)

Emily:

Can you be sure to use the updated info on the parade. That is all of
us gathering in front of Oneills with our wonderful energy and signs
and music and kids and tables of info and give aways for people.

We will be there as early at 8AM for those wanting to join for coffee
and bagels.

2a.

Re: breaking news, mystery spill

Posted by: "Jenny" asterellax@...   asterellax

Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:47 am (PST)

I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is responsible.

I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about the white waxy stuff
I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered him samples and was
told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison sample of the
checkmate. However, he did say that there were serious concerns about
this. I could only hope that the substance on the bird feathers will
be compared to the actual substance that was sprayed.

Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the wetting agent
since it is not part of the actual checkmate formula?

I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.

--- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, David Haisten
<dhaisten7@...> wrote:
>
> In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the spray. Since the
lab is in Sacramento this information can not be trusted. An
independent lab needs to verify this conclusion. There are surfactants
in the spray.
>
> Donna <cfollabwoo42003@...> wrote: the substance is a
"protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps related to red tide or
> algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola beach. it probably
won't clear up till a
> change in the weather like rain and high winds occur. it is
supposedly not related to sf oil
> spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a soap or
detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
>

2b.

Re: breaking news, mystery spill - Request Copy of Lab Report

Posted by: "Rami Nagel" ramison2000@...   ramison2000

Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:20 am (PST)

Hi Everyone,

Just FYI,

The department of fish and game (DFG) petroleum
toxicology lab is the department that has analyzed the
bird data.

There should be absolutley no reason why some people
cannot get copies of the data. It should be public
information. And, in my conversation with DFG, they
also have a list of ingredients of checkmate, so
perhaps they are ignoring this list, but regardless,
they will never say that Checkmate caused it because
they believe it to be impossible.

I am not going to be responsible for collecting the
data, I contacted Senator Laird's office and they did
not return my call. Anyway, some of you who are savvy
should get the data from the petroleum lab, and I know
of at least one chemist we can send it to.

Rami

--- Jenny <asterellax@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is
> responsible.
>
> I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about
> the white waxy stuff
> I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered
> him samples and was
> told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison
> sample of the
> checkmate. However, he did say that there were
> serious concerns about
> this. I could only hope that the substance on the
> bird feathers will
> be compared to the actual substance that was
> sprayed.
>
> Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the
> wetting agent
> since it is not part of the actual checkmate
> formula?
>
>
> I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.
>
> --- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, David
> Haisten
> <dhaisten7@...> wrote:
> >
> > In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the
> spray. Since the
> lab is in Sacramento this information can not be
> trusted. An
> independent lab needs to verify this conclusion.
> There are surfactants
> in the spray.
> >
> > Donna <cfollabwoo42003@...> wrote: the
> substance is a
> "protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps
> related to red tide or
> > algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola
> beach. it probably
> won't clear up till a
> > change in the weather like rain and high winds
> occur. it is
> supposedly not related to sf oil
> > spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a
> soap or
> detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
> >
>
>
>

__________________________________________________________
Get easy, one-click access to your favorites.
Make Yahoo! your homepage.
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2c.

Re: breaking news, mystery spill

Posted by: "The McArthurs" thezoo@...   wisdomelements

Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:24 pm (PST)

I don't think it is just you being paranoid; my gut is telling me the same
thing.

What we need here is an independent chemist to have a look at all
this.....I am not a chemist, and my chemistry classes were 40 years ago,
but I think someone with a decent background in chemistry could easily cut
through some of this cover-up BS being dished out by the DFG.

When I listened to that TV report last night I saw how much of a non-story
propaganda piece it was. Essentially, they wanted to assure the public the
bird situation had nothing to do with the spraying. They didn't know what
it was, but they knew what it wasn't. The best they could come up with as
to what it might be is a "protein-based surfactant." Hello! Surfactants
are found in all kinds of products (especially in soaps, as sudsing
agents) and are industrially created---some from natural sources, some from
synthetic---but they are human-created, and the naturally occuring ones are
chemically modified for industrial use. As far as I know (and I am willing
to be corrected if I'm wrong), surfectants aren't created by red tide
die-off of phytoplanktons or dinoflagellates. Rather, surfactants can
contribute to red tide. So IF the red tide created the glop that all's over
the birds, it's because the surfactant level of the water had been
increased, thus creating the red tide.

As someone on this group has already pointed out, Checkmate contains
surfactants. Both Sodium Phosphate and Ammonium Phosphate are surfactants.
In fact, the use of trisodium phosphate in detergents was decreased when it
was found that it increased algal blooms (which then die off and cause red
tides!). And the Tricaprylyl methyl ammonium chloride (Aliquat 336) in
Checkmate ODF-R is classified as a "quaternary ammonium salt," and these
are also used as surfactants.

And finally, the Polyvinyl Alcohol may be playing a role here too as it has
adhesive and "film-forming" properties, and this glop was sticking to the
birds. Essentially, Suterra created a product that WOULD stick to surfaces,
so the pheromones could be dispersed over their 30 day time period. So why
all the phoney surprise that we're finding something stuck all over the
birds? It seems to me that the chemicals in the spray could easily have
caused this, especially in combination with the oils in the birds'
feathers. Sounds to me like when the spray hit the ocean and began
dissolving into its component parts, some of the interacted in new ways
with the ocean environment and created glop, which then affixed itself to
the birdies and who knows what else. So the DFG should be running tests not
just for the presence of Checkmate, but for each and every one of its
ingredients.

Informative links for those so inclined:
http://www.answers.com/topic/surfactant?cat=health
http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C03/02960.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliquat_336
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternary_ammonium_salt
http://www.answers.com/topic/polyvinyl-alcohol?cat=technology

--Margie

At 09:47 AM 11/28/2007, you wrote:

>I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is responsible.
>
>I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about the white waxy stuff
>I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered him samples and was
>told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison sample of the
>checkmate. However, he did say that there were serious concerns about
>this. I could only hope that the substance on the bird feathers will
>be compared to the actual substance that was sprayed.
>
>Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the wetting agent
>since it is not part of the actual checkmate formula?
>
>I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.
>
>--- In
><mailto:stopoverheadspraying%40yahoogroups.com>stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com,
>David Haisten
><dhaisten7@...> wrote:
> >
> > In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the spray. Since the
>lab is in Sacramento this information can not be trusted. An
>independent lab needs to verify this conclusion. There are surfactants
>in the spray.
> >
> > Donna <cfollabwoo42003@...> wrote: the substance is a
>"protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps related to red tide or
> > algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola beach. it probably
>won't clear up till a
> > change in the weather like rain and high winds occur. it is
>supposedly not related to sf oil
> > spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a soap or
>detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
> >
>
>
2d.

Re: Please post Jessup's email and phone number.

Posted by: "JERILYN BOCK" jerilynbock@...   jerilyn_bock

Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:53 pm (PST)

Jenny,

Thank you for not giving up on the birds. Can you post Jessup's email and phone if you have it? I'd like to call him.

I also have been worried sick about the birds even before they sprayed. I also believe that the spray did this to the birds. Why else would the birds in our yards have disappeared the morning after the spray. They smelled something very toxic. But I really fear some of them just died in their nests overnight - who would know.

Just talked to Molly at Native Animal Rescue. She also thinks it's related. On 11/9, at 7:30 am, she started getting calls from people around New Brighton and Seacliff telling her that there were dead or sick birds everywhere. She has since rescued and tried to save over 300 birds. She also got calls from people who live near the beach in Capitola. They told her they were worried about the birds since those morons sprayed on the beach!

I invited Molly to the town hall meeting but she declined - too busy saving birds. She said she would pass on the info to people she knew who were very interested.

Jerilyn





Jenny <asterellax@yahoo.com> wrote:
I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is responsible.

I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about the white waxy stuff
I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered him samples and was
told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison sample of the
checkmate. However, he did say that there were serious concerns about
this. I could only hope that the substance on the bird feathers will
be compared to the actual substance that was sprayed.

Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the wetting agent
since it is not part of the actual checkmate formula?

I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.

--- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, David Haisten
<dhaisten7@...> wrote:
>
> In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the spray. Since the
lab is in Sacramento this information can not be trusted. An
independent lab needs to verify this conclusion. There are surfactants
in the spray.
>
> Donna <cfollabwoo42003@...> wrote: the substance is a
"protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps related to red tide or
> algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola beach. it probably
won't clear up till a
> change in the weather like rain and high winds occur. it is
supposedly not related to sf oil
> spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a soap or
detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
>

2e.

Re: Please post Jessup's email and phone number.

Posted by: "Jenny" asterellax@...   asterellax

Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:06 pm (PST)


Marine Wildlife vet.
Ca Dept. Fish & Game

Dave Jessup
831.469.1726, Fax 831.469.1723

djessup@ospr.dfg.ca.gov

Also, the wildliffe vets, where the actual tests were performed in
Rancho Cordova are, Dr. Pamela Swift PSwift@....gov and Dr. Ben
Gonzales BGonzale@dfg.ca.gov

--- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, JERILYN BOCK
<jerilynbock@...> wrote:
>
> Jenny,
>
> Thank you for not giving up on the birds. Can you post Jessup's
email and phone if you have it? I'd like to call him.
>
> I also have been worried sick about the birds even before they
sprayed. I also believe that the spray did this to the birds. Why
else would the birds in our yards have disappeared the morning after
the spray. They smelled something very toxic. But I really fear some
of them just died in their nests overnight - who would know.
>
> Just talked to Molly at Native Animal Rescue. She also thinks
it's related. On 11/9, at 7:30 am, she started getting calls from
people around New Brighton and Seacliff telling her that there were
dead or sick birds everywhere. She has since rescued and tried to
save over 300 birds. She also got calls from people who live near the
beach in Capitola. They told her they were worried about the birds
since those morons sprayed on the beach!
>
> I invited Molly to the town hall meeting but she declined - too
busy saving birds. She said she would pass on the info to people she
knew who were very interested.
>
> Jerilyn
>
>
>
>
>
> Jenny <asterellax@...> wrote:
> I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is responsible.
>
> I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about the white waxy stuff
> I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered him samples and was
> told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison sample of the
> checkmate. However, he did say that there were serious concerns about
> this. I could only hope that the substance on the bird feathers will
> be compared to the actual substance that was sprayed.
>
> Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the wetting agent
> since it is not part of the actual checkmate formula?
>
> I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.
>
> --- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, David Haisten
> <dhaisten7@> wrote:
> >
> > In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the spray. Since the
> lab is in Sacramento this information can not be trusted. An
> independent lab needs to verify this conclusion. There are surfactants
> in the spray.
> >
> > Donna <cfollabwoo42003@> wrote: the substance is a
> "protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps related to red tide or
> > algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola beach. it probably
> won't clear up till a
> > change in the weather like rain and high winds occur. it is
> supposedly not related to sf oil
> > spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a soap or
> detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
> >
>

2f.

Re: Please post Jessup's email and phone number.

Posted by: "Jenny" asterellax@...   asterellax

Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:10 pm (PST)

lets try this again

djessup(at)ospr.dfg.ca.gov

pswift(at)dfg.ca.gov

bgonsale(at)dfg.ca.gov

--- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, "Jenny" <asterellax@...>
wrote:
>
>
> Marine Wildlife vet.
> Ca Dept. Fish & Game
>
> Dave Jessup
> 831.469.1726, Fax 831.469.1723
>
> djessup@...
>
>
> Also, the wildliffe vets, where the actual tests were performed in
> Rancho Cordova are, Dr. Pamela Swift PSwift@... and Dr. Ben
> Gonzales BGonzale@...
>
>
>
>
> --- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, JERILYN BOCK
> <jerilynbock@> wrote:
> >
> > Jenny,
> >
> > Thank you for not giving up on the birds. Can you post Jessup's
> email and phone if you have it? I'd like to call him.
> >
> > I also have been worried sick about the birds even before they
> sprayed. I also believe that the spray did this to the birds. Why
> else would the birds in our yards have disappeared the morning after
> the spray. They smelled something very toxic. But I really fear some
> of them just died in their nests overnight - who would know.
> >
> > Just talked to Molly at Native Animal Rescue. She also thinks
> it's related. On 11/9, at 7:30 am, she started getting calls from
> people around New Brighton and Seacliff telling her that there were
> dead or sick birds everywhere. She has since rescued and tried to
> save over 300 birds. She also got calls from people who live near the
> beach in Capitola. They told her they were worried about the birds
> since those morons sprayed on the beach!
> >
> > I invited Molly to the town hall meeting but she declined - too
> busy saving birds. She said she would pass on the info to people she
> knew who were very interested.
> >
> > Jerilyn
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Jenny <asterellax@> wrote:
> > I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is
responsible.
> >
> > I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about the white waxy stuff
> > I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered him samples and was
> > told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison sample of the
> > checkmate. However, he did say that there were serious concerns about
> > this. I could only hope that the substance on the bird feathers will
> > be compared to the actual substance that was sprayed.
> >
> > Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the wetting agent
> > since it is not part of the actual checkmate formula?
> >
> > I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.
> >
> > --- In stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com, David Haisten
> > <dhaisten7@> wrote:
> > >
> > > In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the spray. Since the
> > lab is in Sacramento this information can not be trusted. An
> > independent lab needs to verify this conclusion. There are surfactants
> > in the spray.
> > >
> > > Donna <cfollabwoo42003@> wrote: the substance is a
> > "protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps related to red
tide or
> > > algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola beach. it probably
> > won't clear up till a
> > > change in the weather like rain and high winds occur. it is
> > supposedly not related to sf oil
> > > spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a soap or
> > detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
> > >
> >
>

2g.

Re: breaking news, mystery spill

Posted by: "Cynthia Hanson" hanson_cynthia@...   hanson_cynthia

Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:20 pm (PST)

Margie,
You should foreword this letter to the Station
Manager of KSBW. Great letter! All of this information
is easily found on the net. Why more people don't look
it up is frustrating! CheckMate is just that, a
CheckMate from our lovely State Representatives and
Governor. I was doing yard work yesterday and this
morning I have a rash all over my hand. I even had
gloves on but took them off just a couple of times for
a very short time. I was working in an area that my
husband and I didn't cover up during the spraying.
Gee, I wonder where I got the rash, could it be,
ChedckMate-F! Of course it is!
Anyway, good point's in your letter Margie.

--- The McArthurs <thezoo@cruzio.com> wrote:

> I don't think it is just you being paranoid; my gut
> is telling me the same
> thing.
>
> What we need here is an independent chemist to have
> a look at all
> this.....I am not a chemist, and my chemistry
> classes were 40 years ago,
> but I think someone with a decent background in
> chemistry could easily cut
> through some of this cover-up BS being dished out by
> the DFG.
>
> When I listened to that TV report last night I saw
> how much of a non-story
> propaganda piece it was. Essentially, they wanted
> to assure the public the
> bird situation had nothing to do with the spraying.
> They didn't know what
> it was, but they knew what it wasn't. The best they
> could come up with as
> to what it might be is a "protein-based surfactant."
> Hello! Surfactants
> are found in all kinds of products (especially in
> soaps, as sudsing
> agents) and are industrially created---some from
> natural sources, some from
> synthetic---but they are human-created, and the
> naturally occuring ones are
> chemically modified for industrial use. As far as I
> know (and I am willing
> to be corrected if I'm wrong), surfectants aren't
> created by red tide
> die-off of phytoplanktons or dinoflagellates.
> Rather, surfactants can
> contribute to red tide. So IF the red tide created
> the glop that all's over
> the birds, it's because the surfactant level of the
> water had been
> increased, thus creating the red tide.
>
> As someone on this group has already pointed out,
> Checkmate contains
> surfactants. Both Sodium Phosphate and Ammonium
> Phosphate are surfactants.
> In fact, the use of trisodium phosphate in
> detergents was decreased when it
> was found that it increased algal blooms (which then
> die off and cause red
> tides!). And the Tricaprylyl methyl ammonium
> chloride (Aliquat 336) in
> Checkmate ODF-R is classified as a "quaternary
> ammonium salt," and these
> are also used as surfactants.
>
> And finally, the Polyvinyl Alcohol may be playing a
> role here too as it has
> adhesive and "film-forming" properties, and this
> glop was sticking to the
> birds. Essentially, Suterra created a product that
> WOULD stick to surfaces,
> so the pheromones could be dispersed over their 30
> day time period. So why
> all the phoney surprise that we're finding something
> stuck all over the
> birds? It seems to me that the chemicals in the
> spray could easily have
> caused this, especially in combination with the oils
> in the birds'
> feathers. Sounds to me like when the spray hit the
> ocean and began
> dissolving into its component parts, some of the
> interacted in new ways
> with the ocean environment and created glop, which
> then affixed itself to
> the birdies and who knows what else. So the DFG
> should be running tests not
> just for the presence of Checkmate, but for each and
> every one of its
> ingredients.
>
> Informative links for those so inclined:
> http://www.answers.com/topic/surfactant?cat=health
> http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C03/02960.pdf
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliquat_336
>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternary_ammonium_salt
>
http://www.answers.com/topic/polyvinyl-alcohol?cat=technology
>
> --Margie
>
>
> At 09:47 AM 11/28/2007, you wrote:
>
> >I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is
> responsible.
> >
> >I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about
> the white waxy stuff
> >I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered
> him samples and was
> >told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison
> sample of the
> >checkmate. However, he did say that there were
> serious concerns about
> >this. I could only hope that the substance on the
> bird feathers will
> >be compared to the actual substance that was
> sprayed.
> >
> >Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the
> wetting agent
> >since it is not part of the actual checkmate
> formula?
> >
> >I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.
> >
> >--- In
>
><mailto:stopoverheadspraying%40yahoogroups.com>stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com,
>
> >David Haisten
> ><dhaisten7@...> wrote:
> > >
> > > In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from
> the spray. Since the
> >lab is in Sacramento this information can not be
> trusted. An
> >independent lab needs to verify this conclusion.
> There are surfactants
> >in the spray.
> > >
> > > Donna <cfollabwoo42003@...> wrote: the substance
> is a
> >"protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps
> related to red tide or
> > > algae. sick birds have now been found at
> capitola beach. it probably
> >won't clear up till a
> > > change in the weather like rain and high winds
> occur. it is
> >supposedly not related to sf oil
> > > spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like
> a soap or
> >detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
> > >
> >
> >
>

__________________________________________________________
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2h.

Re: breaking news, mystery spill

Posted by: "Isabelle Jenniches" ijenniches@...   ijenniches

Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:13 pm (PST)

Margie and all, this is such an important conversation. Re:
independent chemist. I would suggest to contact Dr. Todd Urbansky.
Take a look at the report that he submitted to Vice-Mayor Havermann to
be part of the law suit in federal court. The chemist's concerns and
conclusions about the pheromone product are posted here with link to
download the whole report (lots of complex chemistry)
http://forum.stopthespray.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=80

> I don't think it is just you being paranoid; my gut is telling me
the same
> thing.
>
> What we need here is an independent chemist to have a look at all
> this.....I am not a chemist, and my chemistry classes were 40 years
ago,
> but I think someone with a decent background in chemistry could
easily cut
> through some of this cover-up BS being dished out by the DFG.
>
> When I listened to that TV report last night I saw how much of a
non-story
> propaganda piece it was. Essentially, they wanted to assure the
public the
> bird situation had nothing to do with the spraying. They didn't know
what
> it was, but they knew what it wasn't. The best they could come up
with as
> to what it might be is a "protein-based surfactant." Hello!
Surfactants
> are found in all kinds of products (especially in soaps, as sudsing
> agents) and are industrially created---some from natural sources,
some from
> synthetic---but they are human-created, and the naturally occuring
ones are
> chemically modified for industrial use. As far as I know (and I am
willing
> to be corrected if I'm wrong), surfectants aren't created by red tide
> die-off of phytoplanktons or dinoflagellates. Rather, surfactants can
> contribute to red tide. So IF the red tide created the glop that
all's over
> the birds, it's because the surfactant level of the water had been
> increased, thus creating the red tide.
>
> As someone on this group has already pointed out, Checkmate contains
> surfactants. Both Sodium Phosphate and Ammonium Phosphate are
surfactants.
> In fact, the use of trisodium phosphate in detergents was decreased
when it
> was found that it increased algal blooms (which then die off and
cause red
> tides!). And the Tricaprylyl methyl ammonium chloride (Aliquat 336) in
> Checkmate ODF-R is classified as a "quaternary ammonium salt," and
these
> are also used as surfactants.
>
> And finally, the Polyvinyl Alcohol may be playing a role here too as
it has
> adhesive and "film-forming" properties, and this glop was sticking
to the
> birds. Essentially, Suterra created a product that WOULD stick to
surfaces,
> so the pheromones could be dispersed over their 30 day time period.
So why
> all the phoney surprise that we're finding something stuck all over the
> birds? It seems to me that the chemicals in the spray could easily
have
> caused this, especially in combination with the oils in the birds'
> feathers. Sounds to me like when the spray hit the ocean and began
> dissolving into its component parts, some of the interacted in new ways
> with the ocean environment and created glop, which then affixed
itself to
> the birdies and who knows what else. So the DFG should be running
tests not
> just for the presence of Checkmate, but for each and every one of its
> ingredients.
>
> Informative links for those so inclined:
> http://www.answers.com/topic/surfactant?cat=health
> http://www.p2pays.org/ref%5C03/02960.pdf
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliquat_336
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternary_ammonium_salt
> http://www.answers.com/topic/polyvinyl-alcohol?cat=technology
>
> --Margie
>
>
> At 09:47 AM 11/28/2007, you wrote:
>
> >I agree David. My gut tells me that the spray is responsible.
> >
> >I emailed Dave Jessup from DFG and told him about the white waxy stuff
> >I scraped off my car the morning after. I offered him samples and was
> >told that the CDFA had supplied the comparison sample of the
> >checkmate. However, he did say that there were serious concerns about
> >this. I could only hope that the substance on the bird feathers will
> >be compared to the actual substance that was sprayed.
> >
> >Also, does anyone know if they have to disclose the wetting agent
> >since it is not part of the actual checkmate formula?
> >
> >I just hope this is not just me being paranoid.
> >
> >--- In
>
><mailto:stopoverheadspraying%40yahoogroups.com>stopoverheadspraying@yahoogroups.com,

> >David Haisten
> ><dhaisten7@> wrote:
> > >
> > > In my opinion the "protein" surfactant is from the spray. Since the
> >lab is in Sacramento this information can not be trusted. An
> >independent lab needs to verify this conclusion. There are surfactants
> >in the spray.
> > >
> > > Donna <cfollabwoo42003@> wrote: the substance is a
> >"protein surfactant" of unknown origin, perhaps related to red tide or
> > > algae. sick birds have now been found at capitola beach. it probably
> >won't clear up till a
> > > change in the weather like rain and high winds occur. it is
> >supposedly not related to sf oil
> > > spill or lbam spraying. the surfactant acts like a soap or
> >detergent. (ksbw channel 8 news)
> > >
> >
> >
>

2i.

Myster Spill and Health Claim Forms

Posted by: "Rami Nagel" ramison2000@...   ramison2000

Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:15 pm (PST)

Hi Everyone,

#1 Tony Madrigal suggested if you have a health claim
form to send a copy to the Santa Cruz City Attorney

JBarisone@abc-law.com, and their fax is (831)
423-9401, (831) 423-8383 x218, 333 Church St, Santa
Cruz, CA 95060-3838.

#2. When I talked on the phone with the Department of
Fish and Game, they said they have such expert
chemistry analysis that they can many times tell which
factory made each and every chemical they find. I also
posted a letter on my website which shows that the
DFG, does not believe Checkmate is dangerous in any
way.

http://www.hopefortruth.com/LBAM_Forms/Laird%20Letter%20LBAM.pdf

I am too busy to talk with them, but anyone can take
up the cause.

AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY LAB
Department of Fish and Game
9300 Elk Grove-Florin Rd
Elk Grove, CA 95624
(916) 685-1880 Fax: (916) 714-9178
Contact: Sandi Finlayson
Brian Finlayson, Supervisor

PESTICIDES INVESTIGATION LAB
Department of Fish and Game
1701 Nimbus Road, Suite F
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
(916) 358-2950 Fax: (916) 358-2953
Contact: Claudia Bunch
Brian Finlayson, Supervisor

PETROLEUM CHEMISTRY
LABORATORY
Department of Fish and Game
1995 Nimbus Road
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
(916) 358-2803 Fax: (916) 358-2801
Contact: Pam Hall
Dave Crane, Supervisor

WATER POLLUTION CONTROL LAB
Department of Fish and Game
2005 Nimbus Road
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
(916) 358-2858 Fax: (916) 985-4301
Contact: Charlene Lane
Dave Crane, Supervisor

Have fun,
Rami

__________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

3.

Fwd: [WETHEPEOPLE_UNITED] Texas Chemtrail Samples Compared 2Samples

Posted by: "Cal" calgirlsddd85021@...   calgirlsddd85021

Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:08 am (PST)



Note: forwarded message attached.

---------------------------------
Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.
4a.

Re: Gathering at the Ugly Mug Cafe, 11/28/2007, 6:00 pm

Posted by: "Cynthia Hanson" hanson_cynthia@...   hanson_cynthia

Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:58 am (PST)

Wow Isabelle are you going to be there all day?? What
dedication! My husband and I planned on attending
tonight's meeting and the one on Sunday. I know what
Sunday's meeting is about but not tonight's. Is it a
planning one like Sunday's? Anyone know? We look
foreword to meeting some of you.

I've been busy the last several days but been trying
to stay on top of the mails in this list and doing
more research. It's nice to see new people speaking
out on the list. I feel like all the groups are
building strength and in our unity we will succeed in
stopping this lunacy

--- Isabelle Jenniches <ijenniches@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Hi Folks, I'm at the ugly Mug already. I have no
> idea who called this
> meeting, but I will let you know how it went. Nice
> to meet my
> neighbors with their pitch forks ; ) Isabelle.
>
>
>
> > Reminder from: stopoverheadspraying Yahoo! Group
> >
>
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopoverheadspraying/cal
> >
> > Gathering at the Ugly Mug Cafe
> > Wednesday November 28, 2007
> > 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
> > Location: The Ugly Mug, 4640 Soquel Dr.
> >
> > Notes:
> >
> > Gathering at the Ugly Mug Cafe
> http://www.cafeugly.com/The%20Ugly%20Mug.html
> >
> >
> > 831.477.1341
> >
> >
> > All Rights Reserved
> > Copyright © 2007
> > Yahoo! Inc.
> > http://www.yahoo.com
> >
> > Privacy Policy:
> > http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us
> >
> > Terms of Service:
> > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
> >
>
>
>

__________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

5.1.

Important Changes to the parade-please read

Posted by: "Bonnie Keet" BONNIE619@...   bonnie619

Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:08 pm (PST)

Change of Outreach Venue at the Santa Cruz Holiday Parade
Dear Understanding Fellow Anti-aerial Spraying Activists:
We have become a force to be reckoned with. This is a good thing. But when that happens it increases our visibility and as a result our opposition has begun to find their voice.

I have had many families and organizations within and without our group very concerned about injecting politics into the holiday parade. Some more angry than others, their point - this is an event meant to focus on the holidays, not any particular political perspective. That coupled with the facts that
- the truck broke down
- we are literally too big of a group (the biggest the parade has ever seen)
- the truck broke down (I said that twice on purpose)
-and most important to getting our message out is having a stationary spot to sign people up for action and collect money for our "give aways"

This perfect storm of issues has led me to take our group out of the parade walking and into the stationary space offered in front of Oneill’s Surf Shop during the holiday parade. The Downtown Business Association has offered to give us the space with tables and permits during the set up, running and pedestrian milling about after the parade.


I know many of you will not agree with this change of venue. Please keep your flame mails to one per family and please remember I am one of you and trying to do the best I can to further our cause without furthering our opposition.

One last note, a group that can be fluid and responsive in its approach will ultimately be much more effective than one with its feet dug in.

See you in front of Oneills on Sat. Dec. 1st. We will be there at 8A and on. I truly hope you will still come.
Bonnie Keet
bonnie619@yahoo.com
431-0773

Peace,

Bonnie

5.2.

Re: Important Changes to the parade-please read

Posted by: "Cal" calgirlsddd85021@...   calgirlsddd85021

Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:32 pm (PST)

This email is from a chemtrails group that I am involved with. Bonnie is having similar problems to what 'WE' all encounter daily, eh?

I have vet groups, chemtrail groups, Depleted Uranium Groups, 911 Groups, and individuals..................... yadayadayada....... and many of the groups are separate within the groups as far as states and countries go........

We have much to share and support even tho our HEARTS are set on different things. (That being our quest for a better world.)

Good Luck Bonnie and my prayers are with you in California.......

If you get negative input from your peers just know that u'r doing what u can to make this a better place for OUR children and g'kids no matter what........ YOU GO GIRL!!!

PEACE and AGAPE to all!!!


Bonnie Keet <BONNIE619@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
Change of Outreach Venue at the Santa Cruz Holiday Parade
Dear Understanding Fellow Anti-aerial Spraying Activists:
We have become a force to be reckoned with. This is a good thing. But when that happens it increases our visibility and as a result our opposition has begun to find their voice.

I have had many families and organizations within and without our group very concerned about injecting politics into the holiday parade. Some more angry than others, their point - this is an event meant to focus on the holidays, not any particular political perspective. That coupled with the facts that
- the truck broke down
- we are literally too big of a group (the biggest the parade has ever seen)
- the truck broke down (I said that twice on purpose)
-and most important to getting our message out is having a stationary spot to sign people up for action and collect money for our "give aways"

This perfect storm of issues has led me to take our group out of the parade walking and into the stationary space offered in front of Oneill’s Surf Shop during the holiday parade. The Downtown Business Association has offered to give us the space with tables and permits during the set up, running and pedestrian milling about after the parade.


I know many of you will not agree with this change of venue. Please keep your flame mails to one per family and please remember I am one of you and trying to do the best I can to further our cause without furthering our opposition.

One last note, a group that can be fluid and responsive in its approach will ultimately be much more effective than one with its feet dug in.

See you in front of Oneills on Sat. Dec. 1st. We will be there at 8A and on. I truly hope you will still come.
Bonnie Keet
bonnie619@yahoo.com
431-0773

Peace,

Bonnie

---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
6.

short report of meeting w/ Laird

Posted by: "Isabelle Jenniches" ijenniches@...   ijenniches

Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:59 pm (PST)

All in all the meeting w/ Assembly man John Laird went GREAT. One of
the many good things I took away from it: Cecily (verbally) rammed her
finger into his chest and asked "What can and should we do? How to
best apply ourselves?" Laird had two strategies to share:

1. Do what the CDFA should be doing, but does not.
a) Get expert studies on the long-and short term effects of the aerial
spraying campaign on human health and the environment.
b) Collect and analyze statistical data of the effects of aerial
spraying on residents.

2. Get to the government officials that have the power to make
legislative changes, and those that will convince them to do so.
Laird can propose legislative changes, but his bill proposal has to
pass Maldonado's approval. Additionally we should focus on those in
power locally and in the Bay Area that will be up for reelection next
year, as well as create the groundswell in public opinion and NGOs to
support our cause.

Much of the above is already underway. A meeting with Maldonado is in
the planning as the next recipient of the petition. The federal law
suit generated some excellent studies by experts. Some of us have been
working on a questionnaire to compile the effects on residents. Many
have been writing letters and done outreach. We all do an amazing
amount of research. Now we have to coordinate these efforts and make
good use of the wider support of the public, generated through the Dec
9 Townhall Meeting.

I'd say stay tuned for the Townhall Meeting! There will be the
opportunity to coordinate and apply ourselves.

John will probably chime in here at some point, I know Wednesday is
harvest day for him, so he is _busy_.

See you at the Ugly Mug! Isabelle.

7a.

Ugly Mug Meeting

Posted by: "hanson_cynthia" hanson_cynthia@...   hanson_cynthia

Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:23 pm (PST)

Is there a gathering tonight at the Ugly Mug?

7b.

Re: Ugly Mug Meeting

Posted by: "Isabelle Jenniches" ijenniches@...   ijenniches

Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:31 pm (PST)

Yes, 6-7 PM. I'm going, with Margaret... Bonnie will be there... Liz...
Should be good! See you there! Isabelle.

>
> Is there a gathering tonight at the Ugly Mug?
>

7c.

Re: Ugly Mug Meeting

Posted by: "Isabelle Jenniches" ijenniches@...   ijenniches

Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:49 am (PST)

Here my attempt at summarizing this most extraordinary meeting.
Margaret, please add and correct. It was sometimes hard to get the
details with the coffee maker grinding and so many people around the
table -I'd say about 25+ all in all.
The running gag was that nobody seemed to have called this meeting,
yet we were all there, and made good use of it, too. Liz filled
everybody in about the Townhall Meeting on Dec 9, 6-8 PM, then Bonnie
announced the changes about the Holiday Parade, it's going to take
place in front of o'Neill's surf shop. Details in earlier postings or
on http://forum.stopthespray.org

Then Ed Porter showed up! Finally we got some solid info on the
ongoing law suit. SC city & county have joined forces and their
attorneys are pressing on with suing the State to achieve a verdict
before the spraying resumes. They are basically attacking the
emergency clause and rest on the CEQA, outlining that the spraying
campaign has been conducted in a "capricious and arbitrary" way. Ed
was calling on us to write as many or more affidavits as were filed in
federal court.
Ed continued by mentioning that both he and the SC city manager are
pilots, and that led to some interesting discussions about how low the
planes are allowed to fly and how precide they really can be. All
stuff that we have been wondering about in this yahoo group!
Then he related that he witnessed how the workings of a pump that had
been inactive since the spraying, suddenly created a huge amount of
foam in a creek. He has pictures and samples of this incident, and has
sent these in to the water company, together with pictures from foam
at Capitola Beach. ---->Ed Porter is asking for Checkmate samples from
anybody who has them still in the fridge!<----- I know there are a
bunch of them out there, this is your call to get rid of your samples!
Email Ed Porter eporter at ci dot santa-cruz dot ca dot us

Next: VOICES live Community TV show on Thursday Nov 29, 7:30 PM
http://63.249.88.159/cablecast/public/Show.aspx?ChannelID=3&ShowID=4531
There is no info specifically on the website, but if I got this right,
then people can be in the live audience (come early!) or volunteer to
be interviewed. Not sure who is the coordinator, so call Community TV
if you are interested.

Then we all had to move outside, as the band was setting up. The Mug
staff and customers showed incredible patience with the angry mob that
we are (not), huge thank you to them! Before we all dispersed there
were more discussions on the side walk. So good to meet some of you
from this yahoo group face to face and to reconnect with others.

A small group then continued on at Roy Upton's house, hatching plans
and getting strategic, and fleshing out the Townhall Meeting.

What an amazing evening. We'll never know who called this meeting at
the Ugly Mug, but I have a hunch it was the tooth ferry, granting our
collective wish. Isabelle.

8.

Fwd: Balloon Banner Action skill share

Posted by: "Emily Levy" juiceforjustice@...   emlevv

Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:49 pm (PST)

The Ruckus Society does great workshops about creative tactics such as
this one. Wish I could go. Maybe someone could go and bring back the
skills for us to use in our struggle against the spraying?
Emily L.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Balloon Banner Action skill share
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:47:22 -0500 (EST)
From: The Ruckus Society <ruckus@mail.democracyinaction.org>
Reply-To: ruckus@mail.democracyinaction.org
To: juiceforjustice@baymoon.com

----------

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.9/1157 - Release Date: 11/28/2007 12:29 PM

Official Samsung
supporting your
HDTVs and devices.
Featured Y! Groups
There is something
for everyone.
Fitness Challenge
Get in shape w/the
Special K Challenge.
Need to Reply?
Click one of the "Reply" links to respond to a specific message in the Daily Digest.
Create New Topic | Visit Your Group on the Web
To report adverse reactions to the spraying, contact:
ReactionToSpraying@...

The State plans to continue forcing Monterey Peninsula residents to endure their experimental LBAM spraying program through the year 2010.  Join with your friends and neighbors in the fight to preserve our freedoms, our health, our homes and our environment.  Go to yahoogroups.com and join the group
StopOverheadSpraying@yahoogroups.com

For further information and updates:  www.1hope.org


#85 From: Betty Kreeger <bjkreeger@...>
Date: Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:00 am
Subject: Bay Leaves
bjkreeger
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Suzanne,
 
On Tuesday I sent the following email to BayAreaMCSList for posting.  I note that you have posted several messages of "others" since I sent this to the group.  However, you have not posted my offer of Bay Leaves.  Since this message in no way violates your "new criteria" for posting to the group, I am mystified as to why you have not posted it.
 
Just so you know, I have blind copied this message to many of the people on the list, and I think we all deserve an answer as to why you are selectively screening out messages that are of the benefit to everyone in the local MCS community. 
 
The Tuesday post is as follows:
 
Hi everyone.....
 
Would anyone like some fresh Bay Leaves? 
 
There is this gigantic Bay tree across the street from me.  They never pesticide/insecticide this tree so while not technically organic, the City does not use pesticide/insecticide on it.  I use these regularly for soups, and since I just bought a dehydrator I'm going to dehydrate some too. 
 
Please email me directly if you would like to have some of these aromatic leaves and I'll bring a bunch to the meeting on Saturday.

Betty


Betty
 
"Be the change you wish to see in the world. "
(Mahatma Gandhi)
 
 

#84 From: "lorraine james" <searchless1@...>
Date: Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:57 pm
Subject: Re: Fwd: john rusmisel responses & pdf file
searchless1
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
hm, couldn't find attachment, images didn't show up. I feel they were useful in understanding more fully what john was communicating.  Those who are interested, can email me and i can send them the file with the images and pdf file. My daughter's here for her last 3 days of visiting b4 going back to austr. ~ today being the last.  I'm leaving for the weekend tomorrow morn, so i'll only be able to send them out by tonite, then next week when i get back. 

Keep those cards and letters comin' in!  I hope this is useful for everyone.  At least we can start the conversation.  We're moving a lot of info to john at this time. He's sending some to us as well, so let's keep making use of this opportunity to make a difference for us all.  Maybe we can sit down with them after doing this preliminary dousing in information, understanding each other's point of view, and make some headway in changing things for our health.

Already we've come to understand that some of what we thought they were doing they're actually not doing.  Anyway, keep it up.  We'll 'talk' next week. 

Peace,
lorraine

--- In BayCanaryGrapevine@yahoogroups.com, isis feral <isisferal@...> wrote:
>
> Well, I'm personally relieved that they are not using more adulticides currently (wish they wouldn't use any), but I worry about the open-ended language that could open up a door in the future, under someone else's watch.
>
> I think that saying DEET is safe for babies is "pushing", certainly endorsing and encouraging, considering that DEET is what's being sold to unsuspecting parents everywhere. How many people go to these power point presentations, compared to how many people go to their website in search of trustworthy answers? ACMAD's claim that DEET is safe for babies is just plain irresponsible. Children are much more likely to get sick from DEET than from WNV, in fact they cause very similar neurological illnesses. Preventing WNV with DEET is like putting out a match with a blowtorch... Many, many, many more people die of pesticide injuries each year than of WNV.
>
> Picaridin appears to still be too new to be discussed much, but it is a synthetic chemical with many unknowns, and it certainly shouldn't be peddled to parents as proven safe. I could find no Material Safety Data Sheet for it. If you look it up at PAN, one of the sites John Rusmisel recommended, it is littered with question marks. Insufficient data does not imply safety.
>
> Neither does risk assessment, nor is it truly science to make a lot of theoretical assumptions about various made up scenarios, like the document by Peterson, et al. As someone already injured by pesticides, I'm so tired of being an acceptable risk. I'd like to see the precautionary principle applied in these situations, not risk assessment. For a bit of counter "risk assessment" of WNV, see some of the links below (including www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org, the website John Rusmisel referred to), which show that there is no WNV epidemic, and that these extreme measures to combat mosquitoes can actually contribute to turning WNV into a much worse problem, not to mention poisoning many in the process.
>
> Maxina Ventura, from East Bay Pesticide Alert, made a statement to ACMAD and John Rusmisel, which is among many relevant links on EBPA's WNV page, here:
> http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/West%20Nile%20Virus.html
>
> For direct links to the most immediately important documents:
>
> Here's Max's 2005 statement to ACMAD, which describes her child falling ill as a result of a neighbor spraying in response to the WNV panic:
> http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/alameda_mad_statement.html
>
> Here are two articles that reveal the WNV panic to be totally out of proportion with the actual threat. There is NO EPIDEMIC of WNV. There is however an epidemic of people dying from the various effects of pesticide poisoning:
> http://www.ecotalk.org/WestNileVirusNews.htm
> http://www.ecotalk.org/WestNileVirus&Pesticides.htm
>
> Also, again, the Overkill expose, which counters all the arguments mosquito abatement programs make for the "need" to use toxics:
> http://www.meepi.org/wnv/overkillma.htm
>
> For examples of others fighting toxic WNV measures:
> http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/WestNileVirus.pdf (San Luis Obispo)
> http://www.nospray.org/ (New York)
>
> Oh, how I wish our municipalities would get off the toxic treadmill, and would stop believing the panic hype of the chemical industry...
>
> Isis
>
>
> isis feral isisferal@... wrote: Forwarded from Lorraine, with hopefully all pictures and attachments intact:
>
>
>
> Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 2:50:36 PM
> Subject: RE: Dirty Decade Report
>
>
>
> Lorraine,
>
> I enjoyed our discussion on the pesticides used by our district.
>
> You might find the following websites interesting/helpful:
>
> http://www.panna.org/ Pesticide Action Network
>
> http://www.beyondpesticides.org/ They have a section on mosquito management for west nile virus that I think we follow pretty well at:
> http://www.beyondpesticides.org/mosquito/reportsandpublications/mosquito%20_strategy.pdf
>
> http://www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org/index.html This group is against the adulticide treatments done by the Sacramento/Yolo mosquito and vector control district which is run by David Brown, a friend of mine.
> I know he would prefer to do larvicidal treatments but there comes a time during an epidemic when broader treatments are called for to save lives. What are the alternatives for mosquito control districts? If we don't do wide spread adulticiding treatments during a west nile virus outbreak and people die how does that compare with doing the treatments and possibly harming people with chemical sensitivities?
>
> We have been extremely fortunate in Alameda County to have avoided having to use truck mounted foggers in residential neighborhoods to control mosquitoes. Even though all of the counties that border Alameda County have had multiple human cases of West Nile Virus and some deaths, we have not had a single, locally acquired, human case of West Nile Virus.
>
> I always welcome questions regarding our control program from interested individuals.
>
> John R. Rusmisel
>
>
> Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:01:44 PM
> Subject: RE: [BayCanaryGrapevine] Digest Number 60
>
> Lorraine,
> After reading the response, I would say that we don't "push" DEET. In fact, we have been showing numerous alternatives to DEET in our power point presentations that we have been giving throughout the county. There are several good alternatives including a new material that will soon be tested in California.
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0726_050726_deet.html This article mentions Picaridin and lemon eucalyptus oil which are good alternatives. There is also another product called bite blocker which is being used by some people – it is soybean based. http://www.biteblocker.com/intro.html
>
> While we have never used much adulticides in the past, our website (control program) does mention the use of Scourge as the product we would use. That has been changed to Pyrenone 25-5 for the simple reason that it does have less PBO in it than other pesticides registered to control adult mosquitoes. This year we have used no (zero) adulticides. Last year we used .1 ounce of pyrenone to calibrate the equipment.
>
> For storm drain and catch basin treatments we use both solid and liquid formulations of bacteria and Altosid (chemical name methoprene s). We also on occasion use Golden bear oil but this is more and more infrequent in use and is part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program that is geared more to reducing the possibility of insecticide resistance in the mosquitoes than for daily use. During the rainy season (November – April) we don't actively target stormdrains because they are being flushed out regularly. In the dry season the drains don't flow (except in areas where people over water their lawns or leave water flowing into the gutter while washing their cars) which is why they produce so many mosquitoes. I don't know why anyone would care whether the Bti is added to a stormdrain in a liquid or solid material. We have been using more Water Soluble Packet (WSP) formulations because it is a "cleaner" method of delivering the proper dosage to a basin.
>
> I am attaching a study done a couple of years ago that looked at the risk of human exposure to pesticides used for WNV mosquito control. It is a little (ok – a lot) on the dry side but it is interesting. I doubt if people with chemical sensitivities will agree with the conclusions.
>
>
>
>
> Slide from our West Nile information presentations – I use the lemon eucalyptus oil regularly when I am in the sierras. DEET is a plasticizer that eats fly fishing lines so I don't use it.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We use Bti and Bacillus sphaericus for bacterial control. Growth hormone = Altosid = Methoprene s. Oil is GB 1111 or Goldenbear oil.
>
>
>
>
> For what its worth . . . the materials we use are often less toxic than the alternatives that others suggest we use.
>
>
>
> John R. Rusmisel
> District Manager
> Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
> (510) 783-7744 x 17
> (510) 783-3903 FAX
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.
>

#83 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:33 am
Subject: Re: Fwd: john rusmisel responses & pdf file
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Well, I'm personally relieved that they are not using more adulticides currently (wish they wouldn't use any), but I worry about the open-ended language that could open up a door in the future, under someone else's watch.

I think that saying DEET is safe for babies is "pushing", certainly endorsing and encouraging, considering that DEET is what's being sold to unsuspecting parents everywhere. How many people go to these power point presentations, compared to how many people go to their website in search of trustworthy answers? ACMAD's claim that DEET is safe for babies is just plain irresponsible. Children are much more likely to get sick from DEET than from WNV, in fact they cause very similar neurological illnesses. Preventing WNV with DEET is like putting out a match with a blowtorch... Many, many, many more people die of pesticide injuries each year than of WNV.

Picaridin appears to still be too new to be discussed much, but it is a synthetic chemical with many unknowns, and it certainly shouldn't be peddled to parents as proven safe. I could find no Material Safety Data Sheet for it. If you look it up at PAN, one of the sites John Rusmisel recommended, it is littered with question marks. Insufficient data does not imply safety.

Neither does risk assessment, nor is it truly science to make a lot of theoretical assumptions about various made up scenarios, like the document by Peterson, et al. As someone already injured by pesticides, I'm so tired of being an acceptable risk. I'd like to see the precautionary principle applied in these situations, not risk assessment. For a bit of counter "risk assessment" of WNV, see some of the links below (including www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org, the website John Rusmisel referred to), which show that there is no WNV epidemic, and that these extreme measures to combat mosquitoes can actually contribute to turning WNV into a much worse problem, not to mention poisoning many in the process.

Maxina Ventura, from East Bay Pesticide Alert, made a statement to ACMAD and John Rusmisel, which is among many relevant links on EBPA's WNV page, here:
http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/West%20Nile%20Virus.html

For direct links to the most immediately important documents:

Here's Max's 2005 statement to ACMAD, which describes her child falling ill as a result of a neighbor spraying in response to the WNV panic:
http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/alameda_mad_statement.html

Here are two articles that reveal the WNV panic to be totally out of proportion with the actual threat. There is NO EPIDEMIC of WNV. There is however an epidemic of people dying from the various effects of pesticide poisoning:
http://www.ecotalk.org/WestNileVirusNews.htm
http://www.ecotalk.org/WestNileVirus&Pesticides.htm

Also, again, the Overkill expose, which counters all the arguments mosquito abatement programs make for the "need" to use toxics:
http://www.meepi.org/wnv/overkillma.htm

For examples of others fighting toxic WNV measures:
http://eastbaypesticidealert.org/WestNileVirus.pdf (San Luis Obispo)
http://www.nospray.org/ (New York)

Oh, how I wish our municipalities would get off the toxic treadmill, and would stop believing the panic hype of the chemical industry...

Isis


isis feral <isisferal@...> wrote:
Forwarded from Lorraine, with hopefully all pictures and attachments intact:



Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 2:50:36 PM
Subject: RE: Dirty Decade Report

Lorraine,
 
I enjoyed our discussion on the pesticides used by our district.
 
You might find the following websites interesting/helpful:
 
http://www.panna.org/ Pesticide Action Network
 
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/     They have a section on mosquito management for west nile virus that I think we follow pretty well at:
 
http://www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org/index.html This group is against the adulticide treatments done by the Sacramento/Yolo mosquito and vector control district which is run by David Brown, a friend of mine.
I know he would prefer to do larvicidal treatments but there comes a time during an epidemic when broader treatments are called for to save lives. What are the alternatives for mosquito control districts? If we don’t do wide spread adulticiding treatments during a west nile virus outbreak and people die how does that compare with doing the treatments and possibly harming people with chemical sensitivities?
 
We have been extremely fortunate in Alameda County to have avoided having to use truck mounted foggers in residential neighborhoods to control mosquitoes. Even though all of the counties that border Alameda County have had multiple human cases of West Nile Virus and some deaths, we have not had a single, locally acquired, human case of West Nile Virus.
 
I always welcome questions regarding our control program from interested individuals.
 
John R. Rusmisel


Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:01:44 PM
Subject: RE: [BayCanaryGrapevine] Digest Number 60

Lorraine,
After reading the response, I would say that we don’t “push” DEET. In fact, we have been showing numerous alternatives to DEET in our power point presentations that we have been giving throughout the county. There are several good alternatives including a new material that will soon be tested in California.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0726_050726_deet.html This article mentions Picaridin and lemon eucalyptus oil which are good alternatives. There is also another product called bite blocker which is being used by some people – it is soybean based. http://www.biteblocker.com/intro.html
 
While we have never used much adulticides in the past, our website (control program) does mention the use of Scourge as the product we would use. That has been changed to Pyrenone 25-5 for the simple reason that it does have less PBO in it than other pesticides registered to control adult mosquitoes. This year we have used no (zero) adulticides. Last year we used .1 ounce of pyrenone to calibrate the equipment.
 
For storm drain and catch basin treatments we use both solid and liquid formulations of bacteria and Altosid (chemical name methoprene s).  We also on occasion use Golden bear oil but this is more and more infrequent in use and is part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program that is geared more to reducing the possibility of insecticide resistance in the mosquitoes than for daily use. During the rainy season (November – April) we don’t actively target stormdrains because they are being flushed out regularly. In the dry season the drains don’t flow (except in areas where people over water their lawns or leave water flowing into the gutter while washing their cars) which is why they produce so many mosquitoes. I don’t know why anyone would care whether the Bti is added to a stormdrain in a liquid or solid material. We have been using more Water Soluble Packet (WSP) formulations because it is a “cleaner” method of delivering the proper dosage to a basin.
 
I am attaching a study done a couple of years ago that looked at the risk of human exposure to pesticides used for WNV mosquito control. It is a little (ok – a lot) on the dry side but it is interesting. I doubt if people with chemical sensitivities will agree with the conclusions.
 
 
 
 
Slide from our West Nile information presentations – I use the lemon eucalyptus oil regularly when I am in the sierras. DEET is a plasticizer that eats fly fishing lines so I don’t use it.
 
 
 
 
 
We use Bti and Bacillus sphaericus for bacterial control. Growth hormone = Altosid  = Methoprene s. Oil is GB 1111 or Goldenbear oil.
 
 
 
For what its worth . . .  the materials we use are often less toxic than the alternatives that others suggest we use.
 
 
John R. Rusmisel
District Manager
Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
(510) 783-7744 x 17
(510) 783-3903 FAX
 



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#82 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:23 am
Subject: Fwd: john rusmisel responses & pdf file
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Forwarded from Lorraine, with hopefully all pictures and attachments intact:



Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 2:50:36 PM
Subject: RE: Dirty Decade Report

Lorraine,
 
I enjoyed our discussion on the pesticides used by our district.
 
You might find the following websites interesting/helpful:
 
http://www.panna.org/ Pesticide Action Network
 
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/     They have a section on mosquito management for west nile virus that I think we follow pretty well at:
 
http://www.stopwestnilesprayingnow.org/index.html This group is against the adulticide treatments done by the Sacramento/Yolo mosquito and vector control district which is run by David Brown, a friend of mine.
I know he would prefer to do larvicidal treatments but there comes a time during an epidemic when broader treatments are called for to save lives. What are the alternatives for mosquito control districts? If we don’t do wide spread adulticiding treatments during a west nile virus outbreak and people die how does that compare with doing the treatments and possibly harming people with chemical sensitivities?
 
We have been extremely fortunate in Alameda County to have avoided having to use truck mounted foggers in residential neighborhoods to control mosquitoes. Even though all of the counties that border Alameda County have had multiple human cases of West Nile Virus and some deaths, we have not had a single, locally acquired, human case of West Nile Virus.
 
I always welcome questions regarding our control program from interested individuals.
 
John R. Rusmisel


Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 12:01:44 PM
Subject: RE: [BayCanaryGrapevine] Digest Number 60

Lorraine,
After reading the response, I would say that we don’t “push” DEET. In fact, we have been showing numerous alternatives to DEET in our power point presentations that we have been giving throughout the county. There are several good alternatives including a new material that will soon be tested in California.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0726_050726_deet.html This article mentions Picaridin and lemon eucalyptus oil which are good alternatives. There is also another product called bite blocker which is being used by some people – it is soybean based. http://www.biteblocker.com/intro.html
 
While we have never used much adulticides in the past, our website (control program) does mention the use of Scourge as the product we would use. That has been changed to Pyrenone 25-5 for the simple reason that it does have less PBO in it than other pesticides registered to control adult mosquitoes. This year we have used no (zero) adulticides. Last year we used .1 ounce of pyrenone to calibrate the equipment.
 
For storm drain and catch basin treatments we use both solid and liquid formulations of bacteria and Altosid (chemical name methoprene s).  We also on occasion use Golden bear oil but this is more and more infrequent in use and is part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program that is geared more to reducing the possibility of insecticide resistance in the mosquitoes than for daily use. During the rainy season (November – April) we don’t actively target stormdrains because they are being flushed out regularly. In the dry season the drains don’t flow (except in areas where people over water their lawns or leave water flowing into the gutter while washing their cars) which is why they produce so many mosquitoes. I don’t know why anyone would care whether the Bti is added to a stormdrain in a liquid or solid material. We have been using more Water Soluble Packet (WSP) formulations because it is a “cleaner” method of delivering the proper dosage to a basin.
 
I am attaching a study done a couple of years ago that looked at the risk of human exposure to pesticides used for WNV mosquito control. It is a little (ok – a lot) on the dry side but it is interesting. I doubt if people with chemical sensitivities will agree with the conclusions.
 
 
 
 
Slide from our West Nile information presentations – I use the lemon eucalyptus oil regularly when I am in the sierras. DEET is a plasticizer that eats fly fishing lines so I don’t use it.
 
 
 
 
 
We use Bti and Bacillus sphaericus for bacterial control. Growth hormone = Altosid  = Methoprene s. Oil is GB 1111 or Goldenbear oil.
 
 
 
For what its worth . . .  the materials we use are often less toxic than the alternatives that others suggest we use.
 
 
John R. Rusmisel
District Manager
Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District
(510) 783-7744 x 17
(510) 783-3903 FAX
 


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#81 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:20 am
Subject: Re: Re: URGENT! Need "reasons for support/oppose mosquito abatement"
isisferal
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Ah yes, I think it was Rusmisel who met with East Bay Pesticide Alert, and seemed genuinely concerned.

The link I sent was to "Overkill: Why Pesticide Spraying for West Nile Virus May Cause More Harm Than Good", though. (The "Dirty Decade Report" is one I hadn't seen before. Very interesting piece.) I wonder if the link I sent took you to a different place than it was supposed to...? If you haven't seen the actual article I meant to send, it's really the best indepth expose I've seen on WNV and mosquito abatement (http://meepi.org/wnv/overkillma.htm - if clicking on this doesn't take you to "Overkill", try copying and pasting it instead). "Overkill" exposes the dangers of all the different types of pesticides used in Mosquito Abatement in this country, including the larvicides they use (Methoprene and BTi). 

There seems to be a bit of miscommunication on their part though: On the ACMAD site, in the picture next to the mention of larvicide use (under services), it looks like they are spraying it out of a hose (In San Francisco they use both solids and sprays, right down into the storm drains, those grates with big signs that say "no dumping" because it drains to the bay...). According to ACMAD's "Control Program" document (http://www.mosquitoes.org/downloads/control_program.pdf), they are not only using solids, nor are they only using larvicides. Even though they are saying that adulticiding is a "last resort" method (leaving the door wide open for using all sorts of scary chemicals anytime they decide to), I was shocked to read that they list Resmethrin (Scourge), a pyrethroid containing the horribly toxic piperonyl butoxide (PBO), as part of their current program. Resmethrin and PBO are also discussed in great detail in "Overkill".

Another concern I have with ACMAD is that they continue to push DEET, saying that (direct quote:) "DEET can be used safely on infants and children 2 months of age and older" (http://www.mosquitoes.org/wnvupdate.htm). Horrifying! If I was a homeowner filling out a survey, I would make it very clear that I don't want my money being used to publicize such irresponsible recommendations, and to support their very open ended language of "last resort" methods.

For more help in arguing against these toxics, there are tox profiles of Resmethrin, BT, PBO, DEET, and many others, at Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides (scroll almost all the way to bottom of page for fact sheets): http://www.pesticide.org/factsheets.html

For some of the environmental impact of another product ACMAD uses, Golden Bear oil, see this link:
http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/envicon/pim/reports/Sacramento/GoldBearOil.htm

And Bart's suggestion to look for alternatives at Tvedten's site is a great idea. We can talk for hours about how toxic all this stuff is, but it becomes even harder to argue against our concerns when we provide alternatives. My favorite of Tvedten's alternatives to fighting mosquitoes at home, which I've used quite successfully: Blow a fan out the window... Tough as they are, they apparently can't fly in high winds.

Awesome you're opening up this discussion, Lorraine. Thank you. I think they need to hear it from a lot of different sources, and need reminding periodically. Did they ever tell you what this assessment fee and survey is for, or why it's only for some homeowners?

Isis


Bart <yaahoobart@...> wrote:
you might find some good info on Stephen Tvedten's site; he is a former exterminator who has searched for nontoxic pesticides after bad effects in his life

search for "mosquito" here http://www.getipm.com/search.htm

among the list I found 'nontoxic mosquito control'
http://www.getipm.com/bestcont/mosquitos.htm



lorraine james <searchless1@...> wrote:
Just spoke extensively with John Rusmisel, Director of the Alameda Co.
Mosquito Abatement District.

Most important points:

He is an advocate for our needs ~ having health issues of his own.

He welcomes dialogue that promotes education, exchange of information
& policies and empowerment for the best possible solutions to the
problems we all face; be they mosquitoes, toxic chemicals, or … .

NEED A NEW BOARD MEMBER! Serve 2+ yrs. Most on board are VERY old and
have served an average of 20+ yrs. He hopes that the person who
replaces the member leaving, an attorney who is an advocate for "us"
will be as high powered and articulate.

They use no organophosphates, only larvicides solids placed into water.
Go to http://www.mosquitoes.org/ for further info about what they do,
use, etc.

Mid-late April a ballot will come out to homeowners for approval of
assessment of $3. if not passed, they will cut support staff, not
field staff, and possibly in the future have to cut their expenditure
on more expensive, less toxic materials.

I sent him the link to the report, "Dirty Decade Report", that Isis
sent me. Thanks Isis.
http://www.toxicsaction.org/Dirty_Decade_Report_.pdf
John will reply to it to continue dialogue.
I will continue to forward our notes to us here.

john's contact info:
510-783-7744
email: acmad@mosquitoes.org
A.C. Mosq. Abat. Dist.
23187 Connecticut Street
Hayward, ca. 94545




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#80 From: Bart <yaahoobart@...>
Date: Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:39 pm
Subject: Re: Re: URGENT! Need "reasons for support/oppose mosquito abatement"
yaahoobart
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
you might find some good info on Stephen Tvedten's site; he is a former exterminator who has searched for nontoxic pesticides after bad effects in his life

search for "mosquito" here http://www.getipm.com/search.htm

among the list I found 'nontoxic mosquito control'
http://www.getipm.com/bestcont/mosquitos.htm



lorraine james <searchless1@...> wrote:
Just spoke extensively with John Rusmisel, Director of the Alameda Co.
Mosquito Abatement District.

Most important points:

He is an advocate for our needs ~ having health issues of his own.

He welcomes dialogue that promotes education, exchange of information
& policies and empowerment for the best possible solutions to the
problems we all face; be they mosquitoes, toxic chemicals, or … .

NEED A NEW BOARD MEMBER! Serve 2+ yrs. Most on board are VERY old and
have served an average of 20+ yrs. He hopes that the person who
replaces the member leaving, an attorney who is an advocate for "us"
will be as high powered and articulate.

They use no organophosphates, only larvicides solids placed into water.
Go to http://www.mosquitoes.org/ for further info about what they do,
use, etc.

Mid-late April a ballot will come out to homeowners for approval of
assessment of $3. if not passed, they will cut support staff, not
field staff, and possibly in the future have to cut their expenditure
on more expensive, less toxic materials.

I sent him the link to the report, "Dirty Decade Report", that Isis
sent me. Thanks Isis.
http://www.toxicsaction.org/Dirty_Decade_Report_.pdf
John will reply to it to continue dialogue.
I will continue to forward our notes to us here.

john's contact info:
510-783-7744
email: acmad@mosquitoes.org
A.C. Mosq. Abat. Dist.
23187 Connecticut Street
Hayward, ca. 94545



#79 From: "lorraine james" <searchless1@...>
Date: Tue Nov 27, 2007 10:55 pm
Subject: Re: URGENT! Need "reasons for support/oppose mosquito abatement"
searchless1
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Just spoke extensively with John Rusmisel, Director of the Alameda Co.
Mosquito Abatement District.

Most important points:

He is an advocate for our needs ~ having health issues of his own.

He welcomes dialogue that promotes education, exchange of information
& policies and empowerment for the best possible solutions to the
problems we all face; be they mosquitoes, toxic chemicals, or … .

NEED A NEW BOARD MEMBER! Serve 2+ yrs. Most on board are VERY old and
have served an average of 20+ yrs.  He hopes that the person who
replaces the member leaving, an attorney who is an advocate for "us"
will be as high powered and articulate.

They use no organophosphates, only larvicides solids placed into water.
Go to http://www.mosquitoes.org/ for further info about what they do,
use, etc.

Mid-late April a ballot will come out to homeowners for approval of
assessment of $3. if not passed, they will cut support staff, not
field staff, and possibly in the future have to cut their expenditure
on more expensive, less toxic materials.

I sent him the link to the report, "Dirty Decade Report",  that Isis
sent me. Thanks Isis.
http://www.toxicsaction.org/Dirty_Decade_Report_.pdf
John will reply to it to continue dialogue.
I will continue to forward our notes to us here.

john's contact info:
510-783-7744
email: acmad@...
A.C. Mosq. Abat. Dist.
23187 Connecticut Street
Hayward, ca. 94545

#78 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:43 pm
Subject: Re: URGENT! Need "reasons for support/oppose mosquito abatement"
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Hi Lorraine, and all.

That's very disturbing... As a renter in Alameda County I've not heard about this... Are they talking about spraying...?

There is one really excellent, very detailed expose about the dangers and uselessness of chemical mosquito abatement, which talks about all the different pesticides that are being used in various municipalities. Here's the link (if you want to print it out for them, I recommend also clicking on the link waaaay at the bottom of the piece, to show all the references, which would make it a lot more difficult to dismiss this as a minority opinion...): http://meepi.org/wnv/overkillma.htm

Please keep us posted. I wonder if they might be trying to sneak something past us, like they tried with the Wildfire Prevention Assessment in the Oakland hills some years back, where they suddenly started talking about further weakening the city's already almost meaningless pesticide "ban" (which still allows Public Works to spray everywhere, among many other exemptions...).

Hope this finds you well.

Isis


lorraine james <searchless1@...> wrote:
I want to give an intelligent, well-informed, detailed argument for
"our" position...and don't have one, AND I KNOW one of you does.

I live in Alameda Co. Hope i'm not too late. Just unearthed a survey
from the County Mosquito Abatement Department [for "a select group of
prop. owners"] in my mail. They asked 6 questions about a proposed $3
assessment. Straight up/simple.

AND they asked for written comments "reasons why you support or oppose
this assessment and describe which issues are most important to you."

please respond ASAP.


[props to you isis!]




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#77 From: "lorraine james" <searchless1@...>
Date: Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:50 pm
Subject: URGENT! Need "reasons for support/oppose mosquito abatement"
searchless1
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
I want to give an intelligent, well-informed, detailed argument for
"our" position...and don't have one, AND I KNOW one of you does.

I live in Alameda Co. Hope i'm not too late. Just unearthed a survey
from the County Mosquito Abatement Department [for "a select group of
prop. owners"] in my mail. They asked 6 questions about a proposed $3
assessment. Straight up/simple.

AND they asked for written comments "reasons why you support or oppose
this assessment and describe which issues are most important to you."

please respond ASAP.


[props to you isis!]

#76 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Thu Nov 22, 2007 6:35 am
Subject: Fwd: California Biomonitoring Program - Listserv and Upcoming SGP Meeting
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
Forwarded:

>We received your name as someone who might be interested in being
>informed about the California Environmental Contaminant
>Biomonitoring Program (CECBP). To join the listserv for this new
>statewide biomonitoring program, please go to the website
>http://www.oehha.ca.gov/Listservs/default.asp and click on the word
>"subscribe" on the same line that reads "biomonitoring".
>
>The first CECBP public event will be an all day meeting of the
>Scientific Guidance Panel for the program. The Scientific Guidance
>Panel meeting will take place on December 17, 2007 in Sacramento,
>and will include opportunities for public input. This meeting will
>also be available to view via webcast. If you sign up for the
>listserv (see above), you will receive additional information about
>the upcoming meeting and other program developments as they become
>available.
>
>Please distribute this information to others whom you think may be
>interested in finding out more about the new statewide biomonitoring
>program. You can also visit us on the web at
>http://www.oehha.ca.gov/multimedia/biomon/index.html
>


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#75 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:59 am
Subject: Re: Re: advice on air purifiers/ cleaning products for work?
isisferal
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Hi Laura.

You should be able to return both the Austin machines. They have a 30 day money back guarantee, and some distributors may be willing to cut you some slack with that timeline, especially if they understand the complexities of MCS.

Thanx for sharing your comparison with the two potassium permanganate machines. Someone else I know who bought an Austin Healthmate Plus was told that he must be reacting to that. So he got one without and still reacted to it. For me it was the carbon they said I had to be reacting to, but the problem persisted after I changed that. Only when I got that machine out of my space did the air quality improve slowly. I'm convinced that there's something going on with the HEPA they're not disclosing, at best it's the large amount of glue, at worst they treated it with some anti-microbial.

I actually quite like the Aireox, and originally had every intention of getting one, but then realized that there's just not enough carbon for the level of pollution in my home (I live next to the laundry room...). I bet it would make a great machine for the car though. I think there's something like 4 lbs of carbon in the small portable Aireox, and not that much more in the larger version. I finally decided to go with the Airpura C600, because I could get 26 lbs of pure carbon in it, which is making a huge difference inspite of its limitations when it comes to formaldehyde. I'm glad the potassium permanganate is working for you. I've heard that it's the one thing somewhat effective on formaldehyde, but I've been too afraid to try it, since I've had such a hard time finding anything at all that still works for me. With the new "green label" carpet my landlord laid outside my apartment, I sure could use a little help fighting formaldehyde...

Good luck with the exchange for a better machine, and be well.

Isis


lauradorala <lepidoptera17@...> wrote:
HI Isis,

SOrry for not responding earlier! I just checked and saw the great
email your wrote. (I wasn't doing well with all the fumes at work,
and finally have some energy)

I got an austin air purifier - healthmate plus since there is a lot of
formaldehyde in our office (wish I had read your advice earlier) and
have some problems with it for some reason. I can't figure out why,
but reading about the different kinds of carbon used is interesting.

I also got an aerox car air purifier, with the extra potassium
compounds added, and I have absolutely no problem with it.... I
called NEEDS and they said they thought it was the same potassium
compound in both, so I couldn't figure out what was the problem.

I bought two Austins (one iwth school money) and I'd like to return
the one that hasn't been used. Unfortunately, my coworked thought he
was doing a good deed and opened it and plugged it in for a bit, so
I'm sure it's no longer returnable. I would love to send it back and
get a bigger Aerox, as that one seems okay and does wonders on Diesel
exhaust when I'm driving.

Did you think it just didn't have enough carbon?? Anything else you
didn't like about it?

Thanks so much for the in depth analysis!

Laura




--- In BayCanaryGrapevine@yahoogroups.com, isis feral
wrote:
>
> Hi Laura and everyone.
>
> Austin Air was sold...?! Do you know anything more about who, what
and when this happened, or where I could get more information?
>
> I had a HORRIBLE experience with Austin Air earlier this year, and I
urge everyone to stay away from them! I got one of their machines, the
Healthmate (not Healthmate Plus, since it contains something extra
that can make sensitive folks react), and it immediately made me ill.
My lung function was reduced to about half or a third of normal.
>
> I called the company, wondering if it could be the HEPA, because
I've heard that some people react to it. I never had before, but their
version of HEPA is "medical grade" rather than the cheaper, "true"
HEPA sold by many of the smaller companies (like Holmes, which are
encased in plastic). I was told that it couldn't possibly be the HEPA,
that it must be the carbon I'm reacting to. They told me that they
automatically put anthracite carbon into the machines, and that
coconut shell carbon costs extra. The fact that there is a choice was
never mentioned anywhere on any distributor's site I've ever seen in
all the years I've researched air purifiers, or I would have ordered
the coconut carbon from the start.
>
> So they convinced me to get the other kind of carbon, the coconut
shell, the same kind I'd been using for around 8 years in a
discontinued machine I had that finally broke. The new filter also
made me ill immediately. This time my eyes and sinuses were burning,
and that lasted for days. I tried to air out the contamination with
fans pointed out my window, and that took hours to become somewhat
manageable, but it lingered for days after, as did the burning.
>
> I called the company again to find out what's up with the HEPA,
because it became clear that it couldn't be anything else. There's
only so many components in this machine. No one knew anything. There
was some suggestion that maybe the HEPA is bleached, but that was
denied later. I asked for a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), and was
given the runaround for weeks. Finally I was told I could get the MSDS
for $100, plus $20 shipping... Most MSDS sheets I've seen are just a
few pages long, and that's for the really poisonous stuff, like
pesticides... What could possibly be in this filter that would justify
$100 worth of copying and $20 worth of shipping...?!! Needless to say,
I never got any MSDS from them, and hence, no further information
about what poisoned me. I can only say that I found their machine to
be dangerous, and their business practices dishonest!
>
> I've since done some more research into HEPA in general, which I
will be compiling, along with more details of this saga, and sending
to this list and elsewhere as soon as I get a chance. HEPA doesn't
refer to a specific material, but to a specific ability of a material
to filter particles. So HEPA filters vary a lot. There are some,
particularly marketed to hospitals (!), that contain biocides to
filter out germs, which then are released into the air. I would be
very careful trusting anything that is called medical grade HEPA
especially. And be aware with any HEPA filter that they are glued into
the frame, and the glue itself can be toxic.
>
> HEPA is all about particles, and does nothing for chemical fumes.
For chemical fumes carbon (aka charcoal) is the answer (and don't
trust the ionizer hype - those things are virtually useless, plus they
can make some pollutants more toxic). Some people also use zeolite
(Austin's 15 pounds of carbon is actually a much smaller quantity,
since they mix it with about one third zeolite), but I've not found it
as effective in an air purifier as carbon. Zeolite is great in a
container in your closet though, where it soaks up all sorts of bad
smells, and as soon as it doesn't work anymore, you have to expose it
to the sun for a day or so, and it's as good as new.
>
> I finally got an Airpura C600, which does not contain HEPA, though
does have a fabric that performs similarly. The C600 is carbon only,
26 pounds of it in a 3 inch bed, and mine is 100% coconut shell. I've
had mine running for a few weeks now, and am slowly re-adjusting to
the carbon smell, which never bothered me before, but which I was
apparently sensitized to after my horrifying exposure to the Austin
Air. A catastrophic sensitization, since I rely on carbon both in my
air purifier in my apartment, and in the mask I wear outside...
>
> I've not tried any of the Foust machines. But I would recommend
getting samples of any filtration media they may use, so you can test
it. Though sometimes a small sample may not tell you what will happen
if air is forced through a larger quantity of it, so it's not a fool
proof way to test, but will give you some idea. I think all their
large machines use HEPA, but I may be wrong. I know they sell smaller
machines with carbon only, but my sense is that they are too small,
with too little carbon to make a dent in any environment that has a
lot of chemical contamination coming through.
>
> The Aireox is also a nice little machine, carbon only, no motor
exposed, but a very small amount of carbon, and I didn't find it
useful even for my small studio apartment. Allerair machines are
comparable to Airpura, though not as well made, less carbon, and much
more expensive. All other air purifiers I've come across are encased
in plastic, and they offgass for some time after, so I've only
mentioned machines here that are encased in metal.
>
> I recommend calling the companies and asking lots of questions:
> E. L. Foust 1-800-353-6878
> Airpura 1-866-505-7872 (C600 for people with MCS)
>
> In terms of cleaners, I would caution a bit about Ecover and Planet,
the only two you mentioned, Laura, that I've tried: Some of their
products are great, others have a very strong scent to them. Ecover
dish soap has a subtle smell to it that bothers me when I'm under the
weather (I use the lemon version), and their marigold version pushes
me over the edge. Some of the more hardcore cleaning products
especially have a strong smell, and I wouldn't recommend them.
>
> Here are a couple of links to cleaning product recipes from simple,
safer components, explaining what each of them accomplishes, any part
of it you might consider printing out for your building manager:
> http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes.cfm
> http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/facts/safe-fs.html
>
http://www.ebmud.com/wastewater/residential_pollution_prevention/CleanItGuide2003.pdf
>
> I've never used Botanic Gold, but would love to hear what your
experience is. Sounds like it's an enzyme cleaner of some sort, though
with anything botanic I would ask how it's extracted. There is alcohol
in this product, and I wonder about whether it dissipates quickly and
if there's a chemical reaction with the enzymes that either make them
useless or smell stronger. Please do share if you have any experience
with this product.
>
> Good Luck, and Be Well
>
> Isis
>
>
> Valerie Igl wrote: Bon Ami makes a good cleanser, and
it seems to be pretty readily available.
> My housecleaner uses only vinegar and Bon Ami to clean most
anything. For
> air cleaners, I like using Holmes HEPA models. I have seen the smaller
> models in stores, but you can also order from the company 1-800-5-HOLMES
>
> VALERIE IGL, MFT
> www.FeministTherapyAssociates.com
> VALIGL@...
> 510-527-5662 x3
>
> Therapy, Consulting, Training & EMDR
> Scent-free office near El Cerrito Plaza BART
> Sliding scale / Medi-Cal
> Abuse survivors, sexuality, addiction, disability
> Sexual minorities (trans, bi, lesbian, kink, poly)
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "lauradorala"
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:39 AM
> Subject: [BayCanaryGrapevine] advice on air purifiers/ cleaning
products for
> work?
>
>
> > Hi,
> > As school is starting agan, and I am fresh with more energy, I've
> > decided to ask if the cleaning crew can use unscented, nontoxic
> > cleaners.
> >
> > the building manager asked me for a list of what they could use, and
> > I offered her this:
> >
> > 7th generation (non lavender scented), Ecover, Planet, white vinegar,
> > something called botanic gold on foustco.com
> >
> > Does anyone have any additional ideas?
> >
> > In addition, they painted the office (and unfortunately did not
> > follow my request to use no VOC paint) so I am energized now to get
> > an air purifier that works. (And, being a teacher, I can spend most
> > of my time out of the office, and in the classroom, which is probably
> > the healthiest way to deal with it)
> >
> > I suggested the largest room Foustco.com air purifier. (the school
> > will pay for it). Has anyone used this, and do you have any feedback
> > on this model or others? (I hear the old austin air purifiers work
> > well, but that the company was sold, so I didn't get any info on the
> > newer models)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Laura
> >
> >



Be a better sports nut! Let your teams follow you with Yahoo Mobile. Try it now.

#74 From: "seradanon" <seradanon@...>
Date: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:31 pm
Subject: seeking a room
seradanon
Offline Offline
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Greetings,

I'm a chemically sensitive person seeking a room to rent in the East
Bay or SF. I am most sensitive to perfumes/ `fragrances,' and
out-gassing from new items especially carpeting. I know that MCS
affect people differently and that I occasionally use items that
others are sensitive to. I'm willing to curtail or stop usage of such
items, if they affect your MCS adversely. I also would strongly prefer
a pet free space as well.

More about me: I'm 31, female, and a non-smoker. I'm an acupuncturist
and currently work as an herbalist in SF. In my spare time I like
reading, playing games, and bicycling. I would be interested in
housemate(s) that are interested in building community, but if that's
not an interest of yours, that's cool too.

Should you also be a chemically sensitive person seeking a new home,
please also contact me. I wouldn't be averse to renting a new space
with others.

My price range is $500-800

#73 From: "lauradorala" <lepidoptera17@...>
Date: Sun Nov 18, 2007 6:31 pm
Subject: Re: advice on air purifiers/ cleaning products for work?
lauradorala
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
HI Isis,

SOrry for not responding earlier!  I just checked and saw the great
email your wrote.  (I wasn't doing well with all the fumes at work,
and finally have some energy)

I got an austin air purifier - healthmate plus since there is a lot of
formaldehyde in our office (wish I had read your advice earlier) and
have some problems with it for some reason.  I can't figure out why,
but reading about the different kinds of carbon used is interesting.

I also got an aerox car air purifier, with the extra potassium
compounds added, and I have absolutely no problem with it....  I
called NEEDS and they said they thought it was the same potassium
compound in both, so I couldn't figure out what was the problem.

I bought two Austins (one iwth school money) and I'd like to return
the one that hasn't been used.  Unfortunately, my coworked thought he
was doing a good deed and opened it and plugged it in for a bit, so
I'm sure it's no longer returnable. I would love to send it back and
get a bigger Aerox, as that one seems okay and does wonders on Diesel
exhaust when I'm driving.

Did you think it just didn't have enough carbon??  Anything else you
didn't like about it?

Thanks so much for the in depth analysis!

Laura




--- In BayCanaryGrapevine@yahoogroups.com, isis feral <isisferal@...>
wrote:
>
> Hi Laura and everyone.
>
> Austin Air was sold...?! Do you know anything more about who, what
and when this happened, or where I could get more information?
>
> I had a HORRIBLE experience with Austin Air earlier this year, and I
urge everyone to stay away from them! I got one of their machines, the
Healthmate (not Healthmate Plus, since it contains something extra
that can make sensitive folks react), and it immediately made me ill.
My lung function was reduced to about half or a third of normal.
>
> I called the company, wondering if it could be the HEPA, because
I've heard that some people react to it. I never had before, but their
version of HEPA is "medical grade" rather than the cheaper, "true"
HEPA sold by many of the smaller companies (like Holmes, which are
encased in plastic). I was told that it couldn't possibly be the HEPA,
that it must be the carbon I'm reacting to. They told me that they
automatically put anthracite carbon into the machines, and that
coconut shell carbon costs extra. The fact that there is a choice was
never mentioned anywhere on any distributor's site I've ever seen in
all the years I've researched air purifiers, or I would have ordered
the coconut carbon from the start.
>
> So they convinced me to get the other kind of carbon, the coconut
shell, the same kind I'd been using for around 8 years in a
discontinued machine I had that finally broke. The new filter also
made me ill immediately. This time my eyes and sinuses were burning,
and that lasted for days. I tried to air out the contamination with
fans pointed out my window, and that took hours to become somewhat
manageable, but it lingered for days after, as did the burning.
>
> I called the company again to find out what's up with the HEPA,
because it became clear that it couldn't be anything else. There's
only so many components in this machine. No one knew anything. There
was some suggestion that maybe the HEPA is bleached, but that was
denied later. I asked for a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), and was
given the runaround for weeks. Finally I was told I could get the MSDS
for $100, plus $20 shipping... Most MSDS sheets I've seen are just a
few pages long, and that's for the really poisonous stuff, like
pesticides... What could possibly be in this filter that would justify
$100 worth of copying and $20 worth of shipping...?!! Needless to say,
I never got any MSDS from them, and hence, no further information
about what poisoned me. I can only say that I found their machine to
be dangerous, and their business practices dishonest!
>
> I've since done some more research into HEPA in general, which I
will be compiling, along with more details of this saga, and sending
to this list and elsewhere as soon as I get a chance. HEPA doesn't
refer to a specific material, but to a specific ability of a material
to filter particles. So HEPA filters vary a lot. There are some,
particularly marketed to hospitals (!), that contain biocides to
filter out germs, which then are released into the air. I would be
very careful trusting anything that is called medical grade HEPA
especially. And be aware with any HEPA filter that they are glued into
the frame, and the glue itself can be toxic.
>
> HEPA is all about particles, and does nothing for chemical fumes.
For chemical fumes carbon (aka charcoal) is the answer (and don't
trust the ionizer hype - those things are virtually useless, plus they
can make some pollutants more toxic). Some people also use zeolite
(Austin's 15 pounds of carbon is actually a much smaller quantity,
since they mix it with about one third zeolite), but I've not found it
as effective in an air purifier as carbon. Zeolite is great in a
container in your closet though, where it soaks up all sorts of bad
smells, and as soon as it doesn't work anymore, you have to expose it
to the sun for a day or so, and it's as good as new.
>
> I finally got an Airpura C600, which does not contain HEPA, though
does have a fabric that performs similarly. The C600 is carbon only,
26 pounds of it in a 3 inch bed, and mine is 100% coconut shell. I've
had mine running for a few weeks now, and am slowly re-adjusting to
the carbon smell, which never bothered me before, but which I was
apparently sensitized to after my horrifying exposure to the Austin
Air. A catastrophic sensitization, since I rely on carbon both in my
air purifier in my apartment, and in the mask I wear outside...
>
> I've not tried any of the Foust machines. But I would recommend
getting samples of any filtration media they may use, so you can test
it. Though sometimes a small sample may not tell you what will happen
if air is forced through a larger quantity of it, so it's not a fool
proof way to test, but will give you some idea. I think all their
large machines use HEPA, but I may be wrong. I know they sell smaller
machines with carbon only, but my sense is that they are too small,
with too little carbon to make a dent in any environment that has a
lot of chemical contamination coming through.
>
> The Aireox is also a nice little machine, carbon only, no motor
exposed, but a very small amount of carbon, and I didn't find it
useful even for my small studio apartment. Allerair machines are
comparable to Airpura, though not as well made, less carbon, and much
more expensive. All other air purifiers I've come across are encased
in plastic, and they offgass for some time after, so I've only
mentioned machines here that are encased in metal.
>
> I recommend calling the companies and asking lots of questions:
> E. L. Foust 1-800-353-6878
> Airpura 1-866-505-7872 (C600 for people with MCS)
>
> In terms of cleaners, I would caution a bit about Ecover and Planet,
the only two you mentioned, Laura, that I've tried: Some of their
products are great, others have a very strong scent to them. Ecover
dish soap has a subtle smell to it that bothers me when I'm under the
weather (I use the lemon version), and their marigold version pushes
me over the edge. Some of the more hardcore cleaning products
especially have a strong smell, and I wouldn't recommend them.
>
> Here are a couple of links to cleaning product recipes from simple,
safer components, explaining what each of them accomplishes, any part
of it you might consider printing out for your building manager:
> http://www.ecocycle.org/hazwaste/recipes.cfm
> http://es.epa.gov/techinfo/facts/safe-fs.html
>
http://www.ebmud.com/wastewater/residential_pollution_prevention/CleanItGuide200\
3.pdf
>
> I've never used Botanic Gold, but would love to hear what your
experience is. Sounds like it's an enzyme cleaner of some sort, though
with anything botanic I would ask how it's extracted. There is alcohol
in this product, and I wonder about whether it dissipates  quickly and
if there's a chemical reaction with the enzymes that either make them
useless or smell stronger. Please do share if you have any experience
with this product.
>
> Good Luck, and Be Well
>
> Isis
>
>
> Valerie Igl <valigl@...> wrote: Bon Ami makes a good cleanser, and
it seems to be pretty readily available.
> My housecleaner uses only vinegar and Bon Ami to clean most
anything.  For
> air cleaners, I like using Holmes HEPA models.  I have seen the smaller
> models in stores, but you can also order from the company 1-800-5-HOLMES
>
> VALERIE IGL, MFT
> www.FeministTherapyAssociates.com
> VALIGL@...
> 510-527-5662 x3
>
> Therapy, Consulting, Training  & EMDR
> Scent-free office near El Cerrito Plaza BART
> Sliding scale / Medi-Cal
> Abuse survivors, sexuality, addiction, disability
> Sexual minorities (trans, bi, lesbian, kink, poly)
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "lauradorala"
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:39 AM
> Subject: [BayCanaryGrapevine] advice on air purifiers/ cleaning
products for
> work?
>
>
> > Hi,
> > As school is starting agan, and I am fresh with more energy, I've
> > decided to ask if the cleaning crew can use unscented, nontoxic
> > cleaners.
> >
> > the building manager asked me for a list of what they could use, and
> > I offered her this:
> >
> > 7th generation (non lavender scented), Ecover, Planet, white vinegar,
> > something called botanic gold on foustco.com
> >
> >  Does anyone have any additional ideas?
> >
> > In addition, they painted the office (and unfortunately did not
> > follow my request to use no VOC paint) so I am energized now to get
> > an air purifier that works.  (And, being a teacher, I can spend most
> > of my time out of the office, and in the classroom, which is probably
> > the healthiest way to deal with it)
> >
> > I suggested the largest room Foustco.com air purifier.  (the school
> > will pay for it).  Has anyone used this, and do you have any feedback
> > on this model or others?  (I hear the old austin air purifiers work
> > well, but that the company was sold, so I didn't get any info on the
> > newer models)
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Laura
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story.
>  Play Sims Stories at Yahoo! Games.
>

#72 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:42 am
Subject: trajectory of bay area toxic oil spill
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
(Please see map hopefully attached below, or go to the link to view trajectory of the oil spill)

http://sanfrancisco.about.com/od/sanfranciscomaps/ig/San-Francisco-Icon-Maps/sanfranciscooilspillmap.htm

Bay Area Closed Beaches - Updated November 10, 2007

The red arrows on the map indicate the trajectory of the oil spill, following the collision on the west span of the San Francisco Bay Bridge.
San Francisco & Bay
  • Aquatic Park/Municipal Pier
  • Alcatraz Island
  • Angel Island Shoreline
  • Baker Beach
  • China Beach
  • Fort Point
  • Mile Rock Beach
Marin County
  • Fort Baker
  • Kirby Cove
  • Muir Beach
  • Rodeo Beach
  • Tennessee Valley
East Bay
  • Albany Beach and North Basin at Eastshore State Park
  • Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley
  • Crown Memorial Beach in Alameda
  • Keller Beach and Ferry Point Pier at Miller Knox Regional Shoreline
  • Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland
  • Point Isabel Regional Shoreline
  • Shimada Park in Richmond

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#71 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Sat Oct 27, 2007 2:05 am
Subject: Berkeley Pacific Steel Casting public comment period
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (District) required Pacific Steel Casting Company (PSC) to prepare a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) to meet the requirements of the Air Toxics Hot Spots (ATHS) program. The District is making the HRA report available for public review and comment.  The public review and comment period ends on January 31, 2008.  Pacific Steel Casting is located in Berkeley, CA.

Public Notice and Health Risk Assessment can be read here:
http://www.baaqmd.gov/pmt/public_notices/2007/1603/index.htm

Public comments should be sent to:
Scott Lutz
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
939 Ellis Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
slutz at baaqmd.gov


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#70 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Fri Oct 26, 2007 2:29 am
Subject: Fwd: MCS on KPFA's Pushing Limits - from August
isisferal
Offline Offline
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This program on Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, now in the archives, aired a couple of months ago on KPFA, and features Bay Area's own Cyndi Norwitz of Immuneweb, among others. You can listen to it here:
http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=21806

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#69 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:00 am
Subject: CAUTION Re: Feeling Wired? Radiation Poisoning's in the Air...
isisferal
Offline Offline
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Folks, I must apologize for the source of the information in my previous posting. It's just come to my attention that the Idaho Observer is a fascist publication, busily involved in Holocaust Denial. Even though I agree with most of this article and believe it's important to share such information, I am not in the habit of forwarding propaganda, no matter how correct on this one issue, by a fascist group. Unfortunately Left and Right occasionally find ourselves on the same side of environmental issues (fluoride is one of those issues first publicized by the fascists, for example), and it's not always easy to recognize at first glance who the real allies are, and who decidedly are not. The propaganda machine behind the article I sent is most certainly not one I believe anyone should ally with under any circumstances, so please only pass it on with clear disclaimers, as the one I'm sending here.

The comrade who pointed this out to me, also clarified one thing and sent a better resource for research into this important issue:

""
And non-ionizing radiation is definitely NOT biologically identical to ionizing radiation.  Both are hazardous, but they are not identical even if a white supremacist publication in Idaho says they are.
www.microwavenews.com  This is home to Microwave News, an excellent monthly publication. It offers cutting edge science reports, plus a great archive.
That is a much better source than "Idaho Observer."
""


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#68 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:00 am
Subject: Feeling Wired? Radiation Poisoning's in the Air...
isisferal
Offline Offline
Send Email Send Email
 
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Archives2007/RadiationPoisoning.html

The Radiation Poisoning of America
By Amy Worthington for the Idaho Observer, 10/07/2007

Prior to 1996, the wireless age was not coming online fast enough, primarily because communities had the authority to block the siting of cell towers. But the Federal Communications Act of 1996 made it nearly impossible for communities to stop construction of cell towers "even if they post threats to public health and the environment.

Since the decision to enter the age of wireless convenience was politically determined for us, we have forgotten well-documented safety and environmental concerns and, with a devil-may-care zeal that is lethally short-sighted, we have incorporated into our lives every wireless toy that comes on the market. We behave as if we are addicted to radiation. Our addiction to cell phones has led to harder "drugs" like wireless Internet. And now we are bathing in the radiation that our wireless enthusiasm has unleashed. Those who are addicted, uninformed, corporately biased and politically-influenced may dismiss our scientifically-sound concerns about the apocalyptic hazards of wireless radiation. But we must not. Instead, we must sound the alarm.

Illa Garcia wore jewelry the first day she went back to work as a fire lookout for the state of California in the summer of 2002. The intense radiation from dozens of RF/microwave antennas surrounding the lookout heated the metals on her body enough to burn her skin. "I still have those scars," she says. "I never wore jewelry to work after that."

Likely Mountain Lookout, on U.S. Forest Service land with a spectacular view of Mount Shasta, is one of thousands of RF/microwave "hot spots" across the nation. A newly-erected cellular communications tower was only 30 feet from the lookout. "One antenna on that tower was even with our heads," recalls Garcia. "We could hear high-pitched buzzing. There were also three state communications antennas mounted on the lookout, only 6 feet from where we walked. We climbed past them every day."

Motorola company manuals for management of communications sites confirm that high frequency radiation from these antennas is nasty stuff. Safety regulations mandate warning signs, EMF awareness training, protective gear, even transmitter deactivation for personnel working that close to antennas. Garcia and co-worker Mary Jasso were never warned about the hazards. This, they say, demonstrates extreme malfeasance on the part of agencies and commercial companies responsible for their exposure.

By the end of fire season, Garcia and Jasso were so ill they were forced to retire and the lookout was closed to state personnel. Garcia, 52, is now severely disabled with fibromyalgia, auto-immune thyroiditis and acute nerve degeneration. Medical tests confirmed broken DNA strands in her blood and abnormal tissue death in her brain.

Dr. Gunner Heuser, a medical specialist in neurotoxicity, states that Garcia's disorders are a result of chronic electromagnetic field exposure in the microwave range and that "she has become totally disabled as a result." Dr. Heuser wrote, "In my experience patients develop multisystem complaints after EMF exposure just as they do after toxic chemical exposure."

Jasso, who worked the lookout for 11 seasons, is also disabled with brain and lung damage, partial left side paralysis, muscle tremors, bone pain and DNA damage. Jasso discovered that all lookouts who worked Likely Mountain since 1989 are disabled. At only 61 years of age, she has lost so much memory that she cannot remember back to when her first three children were born. She fears that communications radiation may be a major factor in the nation's phenomenal epidemics of dementia and autism.

Both women say they have been unjustly denied worker's comp and medical benefits. Their pleas for help to state and federal agencies have been fruitless. Between them they have racked up over $150,000 in medical bills, although there is no effective treatment for radiation sickness.

Twenty-two other members of Garcia and Jasso's two families received Likely Mountain radiation exposure. All now suffer serious and expensive illnesses, including tumors, blood abnormalities, stomach problems, lung damage, bone pain, muscle spasms, extreme fatigue, tremors, numbness, impaired motor skills, cataracts, memory loss, spine degeneration, sleep problems, low immunity to infection, hearing and vision problems, hair loss and allergies.

Jasso's husband, who often stayed at the lookout, has a rare soft tissue sarcoma known to be radiation related. Garcia's husband, who spent little time at the lookout, has systemic cancer that started with sarcoma of the colon. Garcia's daughter Teresa was at the lookout for a total of two hours during her first pregnancy. Her daughter was born with slight brain damage and immunity problems. "That baby was always sick," says Garcia. Teresa spent only three days at the lookout during her second pregnancy. Her son was born with autism.

Garcia and Jasso have a terminal condition known as "toxic encephalopathy," involving brain damage to frontal and temporal lobes. This was confirmed by SPECT brain scans. Twelve others in the two-family group who also had the scans were diagnosed with the affliction. "All of us with this condition have been told that we,re dying," says Garcia. "Our mutated cells will reproduce new mutated cells until the body finally shuts down."

Nuclear bombs on a pole

Painful conditions endured by the families of Garcia and Jasso are identical to those suffered by Japanese victims of gamma wave radiation after nuclear explosions at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. Five decades of studies confirm that non-ionizing communications radiation in the RF/microwave spectrum has the same effect on human health as ionizing gamma wave radiation from nuclear reactions. Leading German radiation expert Dr. Heyo Eckel, an official of the German Medical Association, states, "The injuries that result from radioactive radiation are identical with the effects of electromagnetic radiation. The damages are so similar that they are hard to differentiate."1

Understanding what happened at Likely Mountain is critical to understanding the public health threat posed by RF/microwave radiation in the United States. The families of Garcia and Jasso, plus previous lookout workers and multitudes of tourists who visited Likely Mountain for camping and sightseeing, were beamed by the same kind of high frequency radiation that blasts from tens of thousands of neighborhood cell towers and rooftop antennas erected across America for wireless communications. The city of San Francisco, with an area of only seven square miles, has over 2,500 licensed cell phone antennas positioned at 530 locations throughout the city. In practical terms, this city, like thousands of others, is being wave-nuked 24 hours a day.

The identical damage resulting from both radioactive gamma waves and high frequency microwaves involves a pathological condition in which the nuclei of irradiated human cells splinter into fragments called micronuclei. Micronuclei are a definitive pre-cursor of cancer. During the 1986 nuclear reactor disaster at Chernobyl in Russia, the ionizing radiation released was equivalent to 400 atomic bombs, with an estimated ultimate human toll of 10,000 deaths. Exposed Russians quickly developed blood cell micronuclei, leaving them at high risk for cancer.

What they wouldn't tell us

RF/microwaves from cell phones and cell tower transmitters also cause micronuclei damage in blood cells. This was reported a decade ago by Drs. Henry Lai and Narendrah Singh, biomedical researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Singh is famous for refining comet assay techniques used to identify DNA damage. Lai and Singh demonstrated in numerous animal studies that mobile phone radiation quickly causes DNA single and double strand breaks at levels well below the current federal "safe" exposure standards.2

The telecommunications industry knows this thanks to its own six-year, wireless technology research (WTR) study program mandated by Congress and completed in 1999. Gathering a team of over 200 doctors, scientists and experts in the field, WTR research showed that human blood exposed to cell phone radiation had a 300-percent increase in genetic damage in the form of micronuclei.3 Dr. George Carlo, a public health expert who coordinated the WTR studies, confirms that exposure to communications radiation from wireless technology is "potentially the biggest health insult" this nation has ever seen. Dr. Carlo believes RF/microwave radiation is a greater threat than cigarette smoking and asbestos.

In 2000, European communications giant T-Mobile commissioned the German ECOLOG Institute to review all available scientific evidence in regard to health risks for wireless telecommunications. ECOLOG found over 220 peer-reviewed, published papers documenting the cancer-initiating and cancer-promoting effects of the high frequency radiation employed by wireless technology.4 Many corroborating studies have been published since.

By 2004, 12 research groups from seven European countries cooperating in the REFLEX study project confirmed that microwaves from wireless communications devices cause significant single and double strand DNA breaks in both human and animal cells under laboratory conditions.5 In 2005, a Chinese medical study confirmed statistically significant DNA damage from pulsed microwaves at cell phone levels.6 That same year, University of Chicago researchers described how pulsed communications microwaves alter gene expression in human cells at non-thermal exposure levels.7

Because gamma waves and RF/microwave radiation are identically carcinogenic and genotoxic to the cellular roots of life, the safe dose of either kind of radiation is zero. No study has proven that any level of exposure from cell-damaging radiation is safe for humans. Dr. Carlo confirms that cell damage is not dose dependant because any exposure level, no matter how small, can trigger damage response by cell mechanisms.8

Officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health closely reviewed the damning results of WTR studies, which also revealed microwave damage to the blood brain barrier. But these officials have chosen to downplay, obfuscate and even deny the irrepressible science of the day. Raking in $billions from selling spectrum licenses, the feds have allowed the telecom industry to unleash demonstrably dangerous technology which induces millions of people to become brain-intimate with improperly tested wireless devices9 and which saturates the nation with carcinogenic waves to service those devices. Dr. Carlo says that even the American Cancer Society is in bed with the communications industry, which infuses the Society with substantial contributions.10

Two ways to die

Medical science illustrates that there are two ways to die from radiation poisoning: Fast burn and slow burn. Nuclear flash-burned Japanese had parts of their flesh melt off before they died in agony within hours or days. People have also quickly died after walking through powerful radar beams, which can microwave-cook internal organs within seconds of exposure.

Slow-burn radiation mechanisms are cumulative, progressive, ongoing and continual. Thousands of Japanese nuke bomb victims died painfully years after exposure. The slow burn process of RF/microwave exposure is manifested by cancer clusters commonly found in communities irradiated by cell tower transmitters. Recent Swedish epidemiological studies confirm that, after 2,000 hours of cellular phone exposure, or a latency period of about 10 years, brain cancer risk rises by 240 percent.11

Communications antennas now blast the human habitat with many different electromagnetic frequencies simultaneously. Human DNA hears this energetic cacophony loud and clear, reacting like the human ear would to high volume country music, R&B plus rock and roll screaming from the same speaker. Irradiated cells struggle to protect themselves against this destructive dissonance by hardening their membranes. They cease to receive nourishment, stop releasing toxins, die prematurely and spill micronuclei fragments into a sort of "tumor bank account." This is precisely how microwave radiation prematurely ages living tissues.

Nuking the crew

The constant roaming pain is intense for 32-year-old Kenneth Hurtado of Southern California. He's been to hell and back, starting with a seven-pound tumor on a kidney, diagnosed in 2002. The cancer spread to his brain. His first brain tumor was removed by craniotomy, the second by the cyber knife. In 2005, cancer nodes were found in his lungs. By 2006, the cancer had metastasized to his legs. This year he is battling three excruciating tumors on his spinal cord. Hurtado hates his seizures. His last one came on while he was driving. "It's like the devil taking over your body," he says.

Now unable to work, Hurtado says he was relatively healthy in 1998 when he began a career as an installer for a large international corporation manufacturing electronics equipment for wireless providers. At the base of cell towers there is an equipment "hut" where installers assemble the radios, amplifiers and filters which generate man-made microwave frequencies and route them up to transmitter antennas through huge cables. Mounted on sector supports aptly named alpha, beta and gamma, the antennas send and receive these carcinogenic radio waves and their pulsed data packets at the speed of light.

Posted on locked fences around the huts are "danger" warning signs. Hurtado says, "You look around these sites and you find many dead birds on the gravel. They can't take the radiation and they,ll just die. You don't have to ponder that too long to figure it's bad."

Hurtado doesn't know how much radiation he got on the job. He says there are at least four connection spots inside the hut where radiation can leak. He could not avoid the "heat" when he turned the radios on for testing and he wonders if his cancer is the result. "When I first got hired, we had safety meetings, but they pretty much minimized the hazards," he remembers. He was issued no electromagnetic safety clothing and it was not until 2002 that he got a radiation meter to wear. "The meter is supposed to warn you if you are getting too much radiation," he says, "but I put mine on a stick and placed it next to antennas and the alarm never went off."

A medical report in the International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health confirms that workers exposed to high levels of RF/microwave radiation routinely have astronomical cancer rates.12 The report notes that, for these workers, the latency period between high radiation exposure and illness is short compared to less exposed populations.

Hurtado says there are many industry workers who are dangerously over-exposed. "I've talked to guys on power crews who have to climb around the antennas and they,ve told me that before a work day is half over, they start feeling really sick." He adds, "In my mind they are getting cooked."

Hurtado suspects that, since the early days of the wireless buildout, there has been illegal activity related to public exposure from transmission sites. "I'm pretty sure," he says, "that some of the carriers are exceeding FCC exposure limits. They can turn the radios and amplifiers up to get a bigger footprint and they don't care if the alarms go on once the installers are gone." Regulatory inspectors could identify violators because channels can be spectrum analyzed. "But," he says, "there is just no one to check and I believe that the public is getting way too much radiation now."

Regulators asleep at the wheel

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the single agency with authority to regulate the broadcast/communications industry, has neither money, manpower nor motive to properly monitor radiation output from hundreds of thousands of commercial wireless installations spewing carcinogenic waves across the nation. The FCC admits that physical testing to verify compliance with emissions guidelines is relatively rare.

Critics say that FCC appointees, with virtually no medical or public health expertise, represent an old-boy network and a cheering squad for the telecommunications and broadcast industries. The Center for Public Integrity found that FCC officials have been bribed by the industries with such perks as expensive trips to Las Vegas.13

Dr. Carlo confirms that there is no regulatory accountability. He says, "You have to go to those base stations and independently measure what is coming out of them because we have had many instances where you have an antenna that is allowed by law to transmit at 100 watts and we have seen up to 900 to 1000 watts. You can turn things up when nobody is looking."14

Neighborhood groups monitoring the broadcast/communications antenna farm on Lookout Mountain near Denver, Colorado, have consistently found that, despite protests to the FCC over nine years, radiation on the mountain has been measured at up to 125 percent of exposure levels permitted by federal law.15

Lethal exposure guidelines

Even if there were reliable compliance monitoring, many experts say that FCC public exposure guidelines for RF/microwave radiation are deadly because they are based on the obsolete and unfounded theory that only power density hot enough to flash-cook tissues is harmful. This puts FCC at odds with current scientific knowledge regarding the minimum exposure level at which harm to living cells begins.

Myriad symptoms of radiation poisoning can be induced at exposure levels hundreds, even thousands of times lower than current standards permit. Russia's public exposure standards are 100 times more stringent than ours because Russian scientists have consistently shown that, at U.S. exposure levels, humans develop pathological changes in heart, kidney, liver and brain tissues, plus cancers of all types.16

Norbert Hankin, chief of the EPA's Radiation Protection Division, has stated that the FCC's exposure guidelines are protective only against effects arising from a thermal (flash burn) mechanism. He concedes that, "the generalization by many, that these guidelines protect human beings from harm by any and all mechanisms, is not justified."17

Thus, public microwave exposure levels tolerated by the FCC and its industry-loaded advisory committees are a national health disaster. Yet, for pragmatic and lucrative reasons, federal exposure limits have been deliberately set so high that no matter how much additional wireless radiation is added to the national burden, it will always be "within standards."

The FCC regulatory mess comes into focus with the Likely Mountain case. Jasso says that when she and Garcia contacted the FCC regarding their radiation injuries, they were met with an appalling lack of expertise and concern. "FCC has no answers," Jasso says. "Their exposure guidelines are convoluted and nonsensical. They refuse to address problems of multiple antennas, field expansion, human body coupling and blood reversal because they want to avoid regulatory problems at telecommunication sites." She adds, "FCC will fine a licensee thousands of dollars for not having a light installed on top of a telecommunications tower, but they have not issued even a warning letter to their licensees for the injuries that occurred on Likely Mountain. They say injury cannot occur because their licensees are regulated."

Catch 22

When Garcia and Jasso filed suit against companies operating microwave transmitters on Likely Mountain, they could find no attorney who would take their case and they were forced to proceed pro se. In August, 2007, a California district court denied their claim, mainly on the grounds that they had not proven that the defendants had exceeded FCC exposure guidelines. Under federal law the shattered health of 24 people, plus medical testimony, is not sufficient proof of negligence and liability.

Since FCC provides no enforcement monitoring at transmitter sites and since the radiation industry is not required to prove with consistent documentation that it is compliant, injured parties have little chance of proving non-compliance because the damage to their health often becomes obvious months or even years after their exposure.

The court worried that the Garcia-Jasso case highlights "the conflict between the FCC's delegated authority to establish RF radiation guidelines and limits and plaintiffs, attempt to establish that wireless facilities like the one at Likely Mountain are ultrahazardous."So, while current science provides ample evidence that FCC's guidelines are ultrahazardous, the radiation industry hides behind FCC incompetence, simply because FCC retains exclusive authority to set the standards.

The FCC's disastrous authority is calcified by the Telecommunications Act (TCA) of 1996. The telecom industry is infamous for lavish "donations" which keep legislators on its leash. Anticipating a national radiation health crisis and the public backlash that would follow, the telecom lobby blatantly bought itself a provision in the law that prohibits state and local governments from considering environmental (health) effects when siting personal wireless service facilities so long as "...such facilities comply with the FCC's regulations concerning such emissions." Many say the TCA insures that America's war on cancer will never be won, while protecting gross polluters from liability.

On our own

After passage of the TCA, a group of scientists and engineers, backed by the Communications Workers of America, filed suit in federal court. They hoped the Supreme Court would review both the FCC's outdated exposure guidelines and the legality of a federal law that severely impedes state and local authority in the siting of hazardous transmitters. In 2001, the Supreme Court refused to hear the case. The group's subsequent petition to the FCC asking the agency to bring its exposure guidelines current with the latest scientific data was denied.18

This is where we stand today. The public has no vote, no voice, no choice. Chronic exposure to scientifically indefensible levels of DNA-ravaging radiation is now compulsory for everyone in America. This is why Garcia and Jasso are ill today; this why the industry enjoys unchallenged power to place dangerous transmitters in residential and commercial areas with unsafe setbacks and this is why untold thousands of Americans in buildings with transmitters on the roof are given no safety warnings, though they work and dwell in carcinogenic electromagnetic fields. In the meantime, the radiation industry rakes in $billions in quarterly profits, none of which is set aside for to pay for the national health catastrophe at hand.

Every citizen is now condemned to protect and defend himself against radiation assault as best he can. There have been a number of lawsuits against the radiation industry since cell towers began going up in backyards across the nation. In 2001, a group action lawsuit was filed in South Bend, Indiana, by families living in close proximity to towers. The complaint describes health effects suffered by the plaintiffs, including heart palpitations, interference with hearing, recurring headaches, short term memory loss, sleep disturbances, multiple tumors, glandular problems, chronic fatigue, allergies, weakened immune system, miscarriage and inability to learn.19

The South Bend suit was settled out of court on the basis of nuisance and decreased property values. Health claims don't hold water if emissions are within FCC exposure standards. This case is valuable for understanding the lunacy of FCC standards. The sick families enlisted the help of radiation consultant Bill Curry, who honed his expertise as an engineer for Argonne and Livermore labs. Dr. Curry found that one of the towers was irradiating homes at over 65 microwatts per square centimeter.20 This power density is well within federal exposure standards, which allow any neighborhood to be zapped with at least 580 microwatts per square centimeter, or higher, depending on the frequencies. If the families were sick at 65 microwatts/cm2 what would they be at 580? Considering that the Soviets used furtive Cold War microwave bombardment to make US embassy personal radiation-sick at an average exposure level of only .01 microwatts/cm2, America's clear and present danger is obvious.21

How radiation sick is America?

Since the wireless revolution began wave-nuking the U.S. in the 1990s, there have been no federally funded health studies to assess the cumulative effects of ever-increasing communications radiation on public health. There is no national database enabling citizens to study the location of transmitters in their areas. Local and state governments can offer no information on how much commercial wireless radiation is contaminating their populations. When trying to find out who owns a tower or which companies have transmitters on that tower, citizens usually hit a brick wall.

Dr. Carlo heads the only independent, post-market health surveillance registry in the nation where people can report radiation illness. 22 Dr. Carlo says the registry has heard from thousands of people who believe that their illnesses, including brain and eye cancers, are due to telecommunications radiation from both wireless phones and tower transmitters. In the last two years, the registry has seen an upsurge in reports as transmitters become ever more energetically dangerous in order to accommodate increased data flow for new, multi-media technologies.

We can only guess how many Americans are in their graves today from microwave assault. Arthur Firstenberg, who founded the Cellular Phone Task Force, wrote that, on November 14, 1996, New York City's first digital cellular provider activated thousands of PCS antennae newly erected on the rooftops of apartment buildings. Health authorities reported that a severe and lingering flu hit the city that same week. In response to its classified newspaper ad advising that radiation sickness is similar to flu, the Task Force heard back from hundreds of people who reported sudden onset symptoms synchronous to microwave startup"symptoms similar to stroke, heart attack and nervous breakdown.

Firstenberg then gathered statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and analyzed weekly mortality statistics published for 122 U.S. cities. Each of dozens of cities recorded a 10-25 percent increase in mortality, lasting two to three months, beginning in the week during which that city's first digital cell phone network began commercial service. Cities with no cellular system start up in the same time period showed no abnormal increases in mortality. 23

Studies abroad

Recent health surveys in other nations confirm that people living close to wireless transmitters are in big trouble:

In 2002, French medical specialists found that people living close to cell towers suffered extreme sleep disruption, chronic fatigue, nausea, skin problems, irritability, brain disturbances and cardiovascular problems.24

German researchers found that people living within 1,200 feet of a transmitter site in the German city of Naila had a high rate of cancer and developed their tumors on average eight years earlier than the national average. Breast cancer topped the list.25

Spanish researchers found that people living within 1,000 feet of cellular antennas had statistically significant illness at an average power density of 0.11 to 0.19 microwatts /cm2, which is thousands of times less than allowed by international exposure standards.26

An Egyptian medical study found that people living near mobile phone base stations were at high risk for developing nerve and psychiatric problems, plus debilitating changes in neurobehavioral function. Exposed persons had significantly lower performance on tests for attention, short term auditory memory and problem solving.27

Researchers in Israel studied people in the town of Netanya who had lived near a cell tower for 3-7 years. They had a cancer rate four times higher than the control population. Breast cancer was most prevalent. 28

Europe in an uproar

A new European Union poll of more than 27,000 people across the continent reveals that 76 percent of respondents feel that they are being made ill by wireless transmitters.29 Seventy-one percent in the UK believe they suffer health effects from mast (cell tower) radiation. In April 2007, The London Times reported a startling number of cancer clusters in mast neighborhoods. One study in Warwickshire, found 31 cancers around a single street. 30 Some sick Brits send their blood to a lab in Germany, which uses state of the art methodology to confirm wireless radiation damage.

Radiation sickness is now so prevalent in Germany that 175 doctors have signed the Bramberger Appeal, a document calling the situation a "medical disaster." It asks the German government to initiate a national public health investigation. This appeal closely follows the Freiburger Appeal, signed by thousands of German doctors who say they are dealing with an epidemic of severe and chronic diseases among both old and young patients exposed to wireless microwave radiation. The head of the cancer registry in Berlin found that one urban area with cellular antennas had a breast cancer rate seven times the national average.31

Sweden was one of the first nations to go wireless. Swedish neuroscientist, Dr. Olle Johansson, with hundreds of published papers to his credit, says that a national epidemic of illness and disability was unleashed by the wireless revolution. Long periods of sick leave, attempted suicides and industrial accidents all increased simultaneously with introduction of mobile phone radiation. Ninety-nine percent of the Swedish population is now under duress of powerful third generation masts. Johansson reports that people are plagued with sleep disorders, chronic fatigue that does not respond to rest, difficulties with cognitive function and serious blood problems. Recurrent headaches and migraines are a "substantial public health problem," he says.32

Rooftop transmitters, which readily pass microwave radiation into structures, can be a death sentence. Across the world there are reports of cancer clusters and extreme illness in office buildings and multi-tenant dwellings where antennas are placed on rooftops directly over workers and tenants. In 2006, the top floors of a Melbourne University office building were closed after a brain tumor cluster drew media attention to the risks of communications transmitters on top of the building.33 Likewise, ABC's Brisbane television complex, topped with satellite dishes and radio antennas, was the site of a well-publicized breast cancer cluster among workers.34

Deadlier death rays

In the meantime, the radiation cowboys of America are having a good ol time because they know there's no sheriff in town. The commercial wireless industry is relentless in its drive to construct thousands of new transmitter sites in neighborhoods and schoolyards everywhere, while adding more powerful antennas at its older sites. Countless WiFi systems, both indoors and out, accommodate wireless laptop computers, personal digital assistants, WiFi-enabled phones, gaming devices, video cameras, even parking and utility meters. Hundreds of cities already have or are planning to fund WiFi networks, each consisting of thousands of small microwave transmitters bolted to buildings, street lamps, park benches and bus stops. Some networks are being buried under sidewalks. These access points or "nodes" blast carcinogenic energy at 2.4 to 5 gigahertz with virtually no warning signs about radiation exposure. WiFi radiation is unregulated by the FCC.

Sprint-Nextel and Clearwire are now rolling out in U.S. cities tower-mounted WiMAX transmitters providing wireless internet access "to die for." WiMAX is WiFi on steroids. Upon startup of WiMAX transmitters near the Swedish village of Gotene, the emergency room at the local hospital was flooded by calls from people overcome with pulmonary and cardiovascular symptoms.35

WiMAX radiation could one day be cranked up to a bone-incinerating 66 gigahertz.36 A single WiMAX tower could provide internet coverage for an area of 3,000 square miles, although coverage for 6-25 square miles is the norm now. Promoters say WiMAX may some day replace all cable and DSL broadband services and irradiate virtually all rural areas. Yet, not a single environmental or public health study has been required as the industry unleashes infrastructure for this savage new wireless technology from which no living flesh will escape.

The commercial ray-peddlers are not alone in their quest to make the U.S. a radiation wasteland. In August, 2007, Congress approved new Homeland Security legislation which funds a program to "promote communications compatibility between local, state and federal officials." We catch a glimpse of what this portends as the state of New York gears up to erect hundreds of new wireless installations for a "Statewide Wireless Network (SWN)." This system will blanket 97 percent of the state, allowing agencies at various government levels to communicate instantly while greatly adding to the fog of commercial wireless pollution.37 The New York Office for Technology says that the radiation power densities of the system will be within FCC limits. That assurance should give us the shivers.

Angela's story

Angela Flynn, a 43-year-old caregiver, lives in Santa Cruz, California. Last spring she took classes at a local church where wireless antennas were concealed in a chimney on the building. She recalls, "Every muscle in my body felt sore. And my joints were feeling creaky. My instructor mentioned how people at the women's center on church property had similar symptoms. During my sixth day I had a severe reaction. My short term memory was gone and I was disoriented and confused. When the instructor asked a question, I could not recall anything from the lecture."

At night, Angela could not sleep and she would lie awake, feeling her body buzz. She became hypersensitive to other sources of electromagnetic radiation. The symptoms became so bothersome that she canceled the rest of her course. Using a chart for calculating cumulative, non-ionizing, electromagnetic radiation exposure levels, she found that the classes "located only 100 feet from antennas in the building" had suffered the highest possible exposure during peak operation. "It took a month before I regained my health," she reports.

When Angela wrote letters to the church inquiring whether it was monitoring the health of the people exposed to antenna radiation, church officials were "unresponsive and dismissive." So Angela saw the light. She helped organize a community group to put pressure on county officials for answers. After hearing community testimony, officials directed the zoning department to create a comprehensive map of county transmitter sites and to put together a report on emissions testing.

Angela says, "We recently had a delay of an installation of a tower near a middle school. The superintendent has even come out against the tower and was instrumental in delaying the hearing on the site. He also arranged a school board meeting on the issue." Angela's efforts to share critical information with her community made a difference.

Conclusion

America must soon face its radiation cataclysm. The EMR Network says that millions of workers occupy worksites on a daily basis where operating antenna arrays are camouflaged and where no RF safety program is carried out. Thanks to shameless predatory advertising techniques, American youth are now literally addicted to "texting," watching TV and accessing the Internet on tiny wireless screens. These are the toys that keep cell towers and WiFi hot spots buzzing. A nation that requires compulsory mass irradiation to fuel its trivial entertainment needs is surely destined to have a sickly and short-lived population.

Right now, 11.7 million Americans have been diagnosed with cancer. Because humans can harbor cancer conditions for years before detection, additional millions of cancer victims are yet undiagnosed. The Journal of Oncology Practice predicts that, by 2020, there will be so many cancer cases in the U.S. that doctors may not be able to cope with their caseloads. The report concludes the nation could soon face a shortage of up to 4,000 cancer specialists.38

A recent CBS news series on the raging American cancer epidemic left viewers with the mindset that trainloads of federal cash must flow if we are to find the cancer answer. But a proven cancer initiator now inundates our cities, roadways, schools, offices and homes. Any environmental stressor that jackhammers human cells at millions to billions of cycles per second is a cancer factor. Any wave-pollution that breaks the DNA and causes pre-cancerous micronuclei in human blood is a cancer factor. Logic tells us that there will be no "answer to cancer" until we eliminate the cancer factors.

Wireless communications radiation is to America today what DDT, thalidomide, dioxin, benzene, Agent Orange and asbestos were yesterday. Historically, the truth about the public health menace of extreme toxins is never told until thousands sicken and die.

Dr. Robert Becker, noted for decades of research on the effects of electromagnetic radiation, has warned: "Even if we survive the chemical and atomic threats to our existence, there is the strong possibility that increasing electropollution could set in motion irreversible changes leading to our extinction before we are even aware of them. All life pulsates in time to the earth and our artificial fields cause abnormal reactions in all organismsThese energies are too dangerous to entrust forever to politicians, military leaders and their lapdog researchers." 39

Our mission to save the nation's health and restore sanity in the wireless age seems daunting. The wireless juggernaut is an aggressive, mean machine. Federal regulators are clearly compromised and incompetent to protect the public health. Uninformed consumers dearly love their magic digital toys and don't yet understand the connection between those toys and a national raging cancer epidemic that may consume us all.

Powerful economic interests have lied to us long enough. Americans deserve the facts. We need dialogue. Wireless radiation is a form of electronic trespass. America must decide whose rights are more important"idlers beaming death rays for piddling gibberish or the elderly with pacemakers who are made ill by cell phone and tower radiation wherever they go. Must we all prematurely perish so that wireless enthusiasts can capture cell phone photos and instantly send them for processing via carcinogen express? Must all neighborhoods become sick zones so that radiation addicts can receive recipes, ads and other frivolous text messages on their cell phone toys? Does a human being have the right to NOT be forcibly WiMAXED into a coffin, or do only wireless providers and their devotees have rights?

What can we do?

We can commit to join the growing radiation awareness movement and continue educating ourselves and others. We can employ digital and audio radiation detectors to help safeguard our personal health and to demonstrate the ceaseless brutality of ubiquitous wireless radiation which threatens the genetic integrity of future generations. We can promote emerging technologies that could make communications technologies safer.

We can demand that federal radiation exposure standards and setback requirements be updated to reflect the realities of modern science. Federal communications law must be rewritten so that local jurisdictions can regain their right to consider health and environment when reviewing wireless siting applications. We can insist that wireless emissions from transmitters be drastically reduced as they are in Austria and Russia. We can demand routine compliance testing at all transmitter sites. We can see to it that people who have been living and working near powerful transmitters be given opportunity to report their resulting illnesses in national surveys. Proper epidemiological studies must be conducted and their results published and broadly disseminated.

Each of us can break the seductive, but oppressive wireless habit ourselves. We can play no game, use no wireless Internet system, make no trivial phone call that necessitates enlarging America's dense forest of wireless transmitters. If no one buys WiMAX-enabled devices and related services, this dangerous system will fail.

Whenever possible, we can go back to the old-fashioned, corded phones and message machines which made yesteryear a far more healthy time. Cordless household and office phones emit powerful megahertz or gigahertz microwave radiation, causing damage to hearing, eyesight and brain function. DECT cordless phones irradiate a huge area even when not in use. We can encourage others to contact us by conventional land line phones only. Can we enjoy a leisurely conversation knowing that an irradiated caller risks disease and disability for mindless chatter? What good is wireless convenience if it means being ultimately tethered to a hospital bed? We can teach our children that health is more important than passing convenience and instant gratification.

According to OSHA, no environment should be deliberately made hazardous. Backed by current scientific knowledge, we can refuse to work or shop in an environment which endangers our health. We can demand that megahertz and gigahertz cordless phones, walkie talkie radios, WLAN and WiFi systems be removed from schools, offices, hospitals and any public place where people are grossly irradiated without their informed consent. Second hand smoke is bad; second hand radiation is worse.

We wish to thank the courageous radiation victims interviewed for this report who have generously revealed the details of their personal suffering in order to warn others. Following their example, we must continue undaunted in the moral quest to protect the national health and restore the world to sanity before it is too late.

Meters and resources

The Electrosmog Detector allows you to HEAR the intensity of RF/microwave pollution in your environment. Developed by British radiation expert Alasdair Phillips, this battery-operated device will quickly allow you to identify dangerous RF/microwave hotspots, even where transmitters are concealed, and take action to protect yourself. This meter is $99 (price includes shipping) and can be obtained from HEARING IS BELIEVING, Box 64 Hayden, Idaho 83835. E-mail: gzz@....

The Trifield Meter ($145), produced by Alpha Lab, is used mainly to measure the milligauss of electromagnetic fields coming from 60 hertz sources. Use this digital meter to make sure your living and working spaces are under 2 milligauss. Alpha Lab's Microwave Power Density Meter ($320) is a more sensitive digital microwave meter that will help you assess the kilohertz, megahertz and gigahertz radiation in our wireless environment. This easy-read meter measures microwave radiation in microwatts per cm2, allowing comparison of your readings to the power density used by the Russians to make our embassy staff sick. Remember, people inside the embassy reportedly received only about .01 microwatts per cm2. For more information, contact Alpha Lab Inc., 1280 South 300 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101; (800) 658-7030; www.trifield.com

Alan Broadband produces radiation detection devices with models ranging in price from $159 to $2,800. The $159 model, while not giving detailed readings, is an extremely sensitive and sturdy instrument that gives an accurate dial read on whether or not radiation is present and its relative intensity. It lets you know when you are being irradiated and serves as an excellent tool to illustrate exposure levels to others. For more information, contact Alan Broadband 93 Arch St., Redwood City, California 94062; (888) 369-9627; www.zapchecker.com

Books

Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age, Dr. George Carlo and Martin Schram, Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2001.

Cellular Telephone Russian Roulette, Robert C. Kane, Vantage Press, 2001.

Cell Towers: Wireless Convenience or Environmental Hazard? The Berkshire-Litchfield Environmental Council, Edited by B. Blake Levitt, 2000. Order from Barnes and Noble.

Websites

These websites provide excellent information on all aspects of health and other issues relating to electromagnetic fields and radio frequency/microwave radiation.

www.buergerwelle.com  This excellent German (but in English) site features RF/microwave radiation news from all over the world. The science keeps pouring in and this is where to find it, along with lots of human interest.

www.cprnewsbureau.org  This is an excellent source of up-to-date news on wireless issues.

www.emrnetwork.org  This site has superb resources organized by professionals with expertise in all facets of our RF/microwave radiation problem.

www.safewireless.org This site features Dr. Carlo's Mobil Telephone Health Concerns Registry where people can report ill health effects from living near microwave transmitters or from the use of wireless devices. It also features great news reports.

www.microwavenews.com  This is home to Microwave News, an excellent monthly publication. It offers cutting edge science reports, plus a great archive.

www.sageassociates.net  This site provides valuable information on how to make homes and offices safer in the wireless age.

CAUTION: There are many devices on the market claiming to protect wireless users from radiation. These include: air tube headsets, ferrite bead clip-ons and an array of paste-ons advertised to cut down on thermal effects or deflect negative energy. Energy testing, kinesiology and meter readings indicate that these mitigation devices DO NOT adequately protect against the brutal force of near field microwave radiation. You can investigate the effectiveness of these devices by metering radiation levels while using them. If radiation pours from your "safe" headset, don't bank your life on it. If practiced in the art of kinesiology, you can also "muscle test" the effectiveness of the radiation mitigation device. The human body becomes very weak when irradiated with any man-made frequency, especially microwaves. If a protective device is really working, you will not detect muscle weakness when the body is near a transmitting wireless phone or gadget.

OUR BEST TIP: If you want a safe household phone, find an AT&T corded speaker phone 950, available at most large office supply stores. It emits no microwave radiation, holds up to heavy use, has a great digital display screen and allows hands-free conversation.

NOTES

1. Interview with Dr. Eckel was published by Schwabischen Post 12-07-06. Find this interview at www.heseproject.org. See "The Cell Nucleus is Mutating."

2. "Neurological Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation," a paper presented by Dr. Lai to the Mobile Phones and Health Symposium, October 25-28, 1998, University of Vienna. Also "DNA Damage and Cell Phone Radiation," www.rfsafe.com, 11-02-05.

3. Cell Phones: Invisible Hazards in the Wireless Age, Dr. George Carlo and Martin Schram, Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2001, p.151.

4. "Mobile Telecommunications and Health"Summary of the ECOLOG study for T-Mobile, 2000," Find this summary at www.hese-project.org.

5. "Cell Phone Radiation Harms DNA, Study Claims," (Reuters) MSNBC, 12-04-04. Also "Mobile Phone Radiation Harms DNA," R. Moss, CPR News Bureau, 10-16-06.

6. "RF-Induced DNA Breaks Reported in China," Microwave News, 09-29-05. This report comes from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

7. "2.45 GHz radiofrequency fields alter gene expression in cultured human cells," Lee S. et al, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, PubMed 16107253.

8. "Health Social Services and Housing Sub-Panel Telephone Mast Review," a public discussion by Dr. George Carlo, 2-26-07. Find this excellent dissertation at www. safewireless.org.

9. Few Americans know that cell phones have never been safety tested thanks to the FDA, which exempted cell phones from pre-market testing based on a "low power exclusion" rule.

10. "The American Cancer Society is Misleading the Public," Dr. George Carlo, 8-5-07. Find this statement at www.buergerwelle.com.

11. "Long-Term Mobile Phone Use Raises Brain Tumor Risk: Study," Reuters, 03-31-06. This research was conducted by the Swedish National Institute for Working Life whose scientists studied 905 people with malignant brain tumors to confirm a 240% increased risk of brain tumors after heavy mobile phone use.

12. "Cancer in Radar Technicians Exposed to RF/Microwave Radiation: Sentinel Episodes," Richter E. et al, Int. J. Occup Environ Health 6 (3):187-193, 2000.

13. "FCC Lives Large off Lobbyist Bribes," Capitol Hill Blue, 05-22-03, capitolhillblue.com.

14. "Health Social Services and Housing Sub-Panel Telephone Mast Review," public discussion by Dr. George Carlo, 2-26-07. Find this excellent dissertation at www. safewireless.org.

15. See <http://www.c-a-r-e.org/>www.c-a-r-e.org for information about groups affected by Lookout Mountain broadcast antennas.

16. For an excellent chart comparing biological effects at power density levels and a list of international exposure standards, go to: "Radio Wave Packet," Arthur Firstenberg, Cellular Phone Task Force, Sept 2001; also find this power density list at: "Analysis of Health and Environmental Effects of Proposed San Francisco Earthlink WiFi Network, Magda Havas, Ph.D, Trent University, May 2007.

17. Quote from letter by Norbert Hankin, chief environmental scientist with EPA's Radiation Protection Division. This letter was received by EMR Network 7-16-02 and can be found at www.emrnetwork.org.

18. "Supreme Court Rebuffs Challenge to U.S. Tower Policy," Microwave News, Jan./Feb 2001; also EMR Network Petition For Inquiry To Consider Amendment of Parts 1 and 2 of the FCC's Rules Concerning the Environmental Effects of Radiofrequency Radiation, September 25, 2001. See also FCC order to deny application for review filed by the EMR Network, adopted July 28, 2003. These documents found at www.emrnetwork.org.

19. Hicks, Onnink, Barber, Pennington v. Horvath Communications, Cause No.71C01-0107-CP St. Joseph Circuit Court, St Joseph County, Indiana.

20. "Some Unexpected Health Hazards Associated with Cell Tower Siting," Bill P. Curry, PhD., Cell Towers: Wireless Convenience or Environmental Hazard? The Berkshire-Litchfield Environmental Council, edited by B. Blake Levitt, 2000. See chapter 6.

21. Practical Guidelines to Protect Human Health Against Electromagnetic Radiation Emitted in Mobile Telephony, Summary June 2001, Miguel Muntane Condeminas, industrial engineer for Consulting Comunicacio i Disseny S.L, Barcelona, <mailto:m.co-di@...>m.co-di@.... See Section 4.3.1 "US Embassy in Moscow Study."

22. See www.health-concerns.org and <http://www.safewireless.org/>www.safewireless.org. These sites provide a pathway to access Dr. Carlo's Mobil Telephone Health Concerns Registry where people can report ill health effects from living near microwave transmitters or from the use of wireless devices.

23. "Electromagnetic Fields, (EMF) Killing Fields," Arthur Firstenberg, The Ecologist, v. 34, n. 5, 6-10-2004.

24. "Study of the health of people living in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations: I. influences of distance and sex," R. Santini et al, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées"laboratoire de biochimie-pharmacologie, 2002.

25. "Cancer Risks from Microwaves Confirmed," Dr. Mae-Wan Ho, Institute of Science in Society press release, 5-24-07.

26. "The Microwave Syndrome"a preliminary study in Spain," Navarro E. et al, Biology and Medicine, 22 (2 &3) 161-169, 2003; also " The Microwave Syndrome"Further Aspects of a Spanish Study," Oberfeld G et al 2004, International Conference Proceedings, Kos, Greece 2004.

27. "Neurobehavioral Effects Among Inhabitants Around Mobile Phone Base Stations," Abdel-Rassoul et al, Neurotoxicology, 8-01-2006.

28. "Increase of Cancer Near Cell-Phone Transmitter Station," Wolf D. and Wolf, International Journal of Cancer Prevention 1-2, April 2004.

29. "Two in Three Believe Radiation from Phones Damaged their Health," Geoffrey Lean, 7-8-07 Independent on Sunday, U.K.

30. "Cancer Cluster at Phone Masts, " Times On Line, The Sunday Times, UK 4-22-07.

31. Report by Roland Stabenow, 9-21-06, head of cancer registry in Berlin.

32. "How Shall We Cope With the Increasing Amounts of Airborne Radiation?" Olle Johansson, Journal of the Australasian College of Environmental Medicine, Dec. 2006.

33. "Building Top Floors Closed After Brain Tumor Alert," Lisa Macnamara, The Australian, UK, 05-13-07. Read this report at www.rense.com.

34. "Cancer Strikes 12 Female Staffers," Tony Koch, Omega-News, 4-06-07.

35. "Swedes Hit Hard By WiMax, 6-12-06. This story says that the Swedish media reported that in the town of Gotene, the hospital emergency room was flooded with calls regarding headaches, difficulty breathing, blurry vision and heart problems upon WiMAX start-up. At least 5 people had to leave their homes.

36. "How WiMAX Works," E. Grabianowski and M. Brain, www.computer.howstuffworks.com.

37. "250-foot Tower Raises New Bellevue Fears, John Hopkins, Cheektowaga Times, 8-09-2007; See also "Congress Approves Homeland Security Bill," Spencer Hsu, Washington Post 08-07-07.

38. Journal of Oncology Practice, Vol. 3, No. 2, March 2007: 79-86.

39. Robert Becker, The Body Electric, 1986.

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#67 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Fri Oct 5, 2007 8:07 am
Subject: Fwd: Residents turn unruly at prospect of moth spraying - By TOM RAGAN - SENTINEL STAFF WRITER - October 4, 2007
isisferal
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Please check out additional link to more information about the chemicals used after the end of the article.


Barri Boone <unmaid@...>
wrote:
To: unmaid <unmaid@...>
Subject: Residents turn unruly at prospect of moth spraying - By TOM RAGAN - SENTINEL STAFF WRITER - October 4, 2007
From: Barri Boone <unmaid@...>
Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 23:37:44 -0700

Residents turn unruly at prospect of moth spraying - By TOM RAGAN - SENTINEL STAFF WRITER - October 4, 2007

October 4, 2007

Residents turn unruly at prospect of moth spraying



LIVE OAK — Nearly a half-dozen sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers had to be summoned to the Simpkins Family Swim Center on Wednesday when a handful of people opposed to aerial spraying to eradicate the light brown apple moth started screaming and becoming unruly.

"All I'm asking for you is to trust us," said a frustrated state Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura, imploring the crowd while he rose to his feet at the end of the meeting.
Initially intended for just for elected officials, the meeting was packed with nearly 100 members of the public after it was erroneously reported as public in the Sentinel. Deputies stood guard as anger in the crowd built; many in attendance did not believe that an eradication program involving an obscure pesticide could be carried out in early November without their consent.
"We should not be forced to breathe anything but air," said Katherine Herndon, a Santa Cruz resident and former school nurse for 20 years.
While a lawsuit has been filed by an environmental group in Monterey County to stop a second aerial spraying on the Monterey Peninsula set to start Tuesday, there's already talk about some Santa Cruz County parents pulling their children out of schools. The parents want to send a message to the state that "fewer students means fewer dollars," said Suzanne Dowling, a Soquel resident.
As much as Kawamura tried to quell residents' fears by saying the product, CheckMate LBAM-F, has been used in Australia for 10 years without reports of harmful consequences, the crowd countered with concern that the pesticide has never been sprayed in an urban setting.
More unsettling, they said, is that the manufacturer, the Bend, Ore.-based Suterra Inc., refuses to release the ingredients of its product on the basis that it's a trade secret.
CheckMate LBAM-F, a pesticide, was registered by the EPA in 1997 as a toxic III substance. The agency says it's generally safe when diluted and applied as prescribed by the company. In greater concentrations testing on lab animals found it caused irritation to the skin and eyes and is harmful when swallowed.
The product is not designed to kill the light brown apple moth, but to act as a pheromone and confuse the male moths to the point where they cannot find a female to reproduce with, officials said. They've added that pesticides, overall, have come a long way over time and that this one in particular is about as a naturally occurring as it gets.
"We feel, and are absolutely convinced, that the application does not pose a risk," said Lawrence E. Hawkins, a spokesman with the state Department of Food and Agriculture. "But if somebody wants to increase their margin of safety by leaving and going to another area .."
That comment brought boos from the crowd, who said they had jobs to tend to.
They then asked if any of the state officials lived in the area of treatment.
None of them do.
But the ag department said it believes aerial spraying, which is scheduled between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. Nov. 4-9, is "an emergency" The moth, they say, could cause millions of dollars in crop damage — as is the case in Australia, its native country.
Known to feed on some 250 plants, the moth was first sighted by a UC Berkeley entomologist in the winter of 2006. He verified his find in February 2007 after sending it to a lab in Australia, according to California Department of Agriculture spokesman Steve Lyle.
Since then, the moths have reproduced at a rapid clip, causing concern among state and federal officials, who've compared the infestation to a forest fire that needs to be put out, particularly in Santa Cruz County, where more than 6,000 moths have been trapped, the majority in the Live Oak and Soquel area.
Ag department officials fear local nurseries, already feeling the effects of state and federal quarantines, aren't the only ones who will be suffering if the moth population is unattended. Crops, such as apples, grapes, even strawberries could be next in line, officials said.
"Are you saying that crops are more important than our people?" asked a visibly shaken Peggy Fleming, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, who fears the pesticide could affect her recovery efforts.
To date, however, crop damage has been limited to nursery growers saddled with restrictions of shipments and inspections ushered in by state and federal quarantines.
There are some who believe the moth may have been around for years undetected, a theory the state has rejected outright, saying it conducted a pest survey in 2005 and found none.
Not all residents were opposed to the spraying.
June Coha, who was initially concerned, said she had a long talk with company representatives over the telephone and she now thinks they've come up with a safe product.
"They're trying to get as close to nature as possible," she said.
Dan Harder, however, said he's having a hard time buying the concept of aerial spraying.
A director of the UCSC Arboretum, he said "There's not one study that has ever proved it to work"
Dave Lommen, a Santa Cruz resident, said he'd like to see sterile moths released into the air as a form of disrupting the mating process.
Contact Tom Ragan at tragan@....
Light Brown Apple Moth Spraying
WHERE: Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, Capitola, Live Oak, Soquel, Aptos, Las Lomas, Aromas, Prunedale and Salinas.
WHEN: 8 p.m.to 5 a.m. Nov. 4-9.
Why: Control breeding of light brown apple moth.
COST: $2.7 million.
SOURCE: California Department of Agriculture
 Print Article

You can find this story online at:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2007/October/04/local/stories/01local.htm

Copyright © Santa Cruz Sentinel. All rights reserved.


Additional information from Isis:


Here's some very limited information and risk disclosure from the manufacturer's label. Over 80% undisclosed ingredients, and insistence that toxics magically become non-toxic by diluting them...

From the CheckMate LBAM-F label (http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pdep/lbam/pdfs/LBAM_F_label.pdf):

""

Active Ingredients:
(E)-11-Tetradecen-l-yl Acetate 16.90%
(E,E)-9,11-Tetradecadien-l-yl Acetate 0.71%
Other Ingredients: 82.39%

Caution: Potentially harmful if swallowed, absorbed through skin, or inhaled. Causes moderate eye and skin irritation. Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing. Applicators should avoid breathing vapor or spray mist. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling and before eating, drinking, chewing gum or using tobacco. Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse. These precautions are not necessary for persons exposed to the product after it has been diluted and applied according to the Directions for Use.

""

There is a group in Monterey, which is fighting against the spraying there, and which has more information about this whole issue, chemical, moth, and all: http://www.1hope.org/chkmate.htm




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#66 From: Betty Kreeger <bjkreeger@...>
Date: Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:32 pm
Subject: Fwd: [CS-eXchange] Farmers, exterminators, community warned on use of pesticides
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Received this from a European MCS group I belong to and thought you all would be interested.

"Silvia K. Mueller" <csn.deutschland@...> wrote:
To: CS-eXchange@...
From: "Silvia K. Mueller" <csn.deutschland@...>
Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2007 16:48:00 -0000
Subject: [CS-eXchange] Farmers, exterminators, community warned on use of pesticides

In der Karibik will keiner mehr Pestizide weil sie Schäden bei Mensch
und Umwelt anrichten, die nicht mehr zu übersehen oder schönzureden
sind. Selbst das Ministerium für Landwirtschaft, Bauern,
Schädlingsbekämpfer und Gemeinden stellen sich gegen die Benutzung
und beginnen wieder einfache und kostengünstige alternative
Bekämpfungsmethoden zu propagieren.

-----------

Farmers, exterminators, community warned on use of pesticides
Government Information Service
Sept. 26.2007
BVI News

The Department of Agriculture along with the Environmental Health
Unit is using this week to bring attention to the dangers of
pesticide use on farms, home gardens, around the house and insides
homes.

Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer Arona Fahie-Forbes says that
exposure to pesticide is now being linked to birth defects in
newborns, certain kinds of cancer and destruction of the environment.
These findings have helped to advance alternative forms of pests
control within countries that are part of the Organization of Eastern
Caribbean States (OECS).#

"Most pesticides are toxic and the use of these substances can be
dangerous to the health of those who ingest even the residue. Persons
are known to die suddenly from consuming certain kinds of pesticides,
and we realize that some mangrove areas, fish nurseries and other
protected areas are being destroyed because of pesticide runoff.
These substances are quite potent and should have limited or
restricted use," she said.

Mrs. Forbes noted that persons do not usually associate certain
symptoms such as dizziness and skin disorders to exposure to
pesticides. These symptoms are ignored and the exposure continues
into long-term or permanent illnesses. Mrs. Forbes advises that
persons inquire about the products used by local exterminators to rid
properties of rodents and insects well before services are rendered.

She also notes there are many banned pesticides still used in the
BVI. Some of the more popular illegal products are gramaxone,
lindane, aldicarb, parathion, aldrin, methyl bromide and chlordane
some of which are known carcinogens. The insecticide Baygon is not
banned in the BVI but it is very toxic and should be used with
extreme caution and only as directed.

Mrs. Forbes says that as part of the OECS activities to mark
Pesticide Awareness Week, she is promoting the use of integrated pest
management (IPM) which provides opportunities for safe removal of
pests from gardens and homes.

She notes that integrated pest management is a strategy used to
create a safer environment around farms, backyard gardens and homes
in addition to, discouraging the growth of pests.

"Fungi particularly the anthracnose and sooty (black) mold which grow
on many plant leaves and fruit strive in environments that are damp
and moist. A drainage system which allow for quick removal or
distribution of water and the provisions for the free circulation of
air can eliminate this problem. Plants need to be pruned regularly so
that air can pass through and ventilate the property," she said.

The Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer also encourages the use of
homemade pesticides like vinegar, Epsom salts and soapy water to
remove fungi and other pests from plants. She also advocates
uprooting and burning of plants infected with worms and insects to
prevent the spread to other plants.

The Environmental Health Division, which is concerned with all
aspects of the environment that affect the health of the community,
joins the Department of Agriculture in pesticide awareness activities.

Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer Horace Henry says that all
chemicals pesticides "must be approved; meet the required standard
and used as instructed."

The Environmental Health Division promotes health, enforces
regulations and provides advice on policies for sustaining a healthy
environment.

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#65 From: Betty Kreeger <bjkreeger@...>
Date: Wed Sep 19, 2007 5:53 pm
Subject: Grassroots Action Alert - Pesticides
bjkreeger
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Grassroots Action Alert - August/September 2007

Download printer-friendly version: www.beyondpesticides.org/pesticidefreelawns/actions/grassrootsnews9-07.pdf

With 195 million acres of state-owned and managed property across the country, statewide laws requiring environmentally sound pest management practices can have a significant impact on protecting the public and environment from unnecessary and toxic pesticide use.  Yet, according to Beyond Pesticides’ recent report, Ending Toxic Dependency: The State of IPM, existing state laws regulating pest management on state property, including buildings and land, allow broad dependency on toxic pesticides, while only four states call for pesticide reduction and alternatives. Download the report at www.beyondpesticides.org/stateipm.

The report, focusing on state provisions addressing integrated pest management (IPM), supports the need for defined and effective state IPM and organic programs, codified in policy and effectively carried out.

IPM Definition:
In the 10 states that have codified in state law IPM practices for state owned or managed property, two types of IPM definitions emerge:

Non-prioritized Tactical IPM. With non-prioritized tactical IPM, the state IPM practices are defined as a combination of pest management methods (2 states: MI, MN) with no priority for pesticide or hazard reduction. Additional states specify IPM as a combined method that minimizes health and/or environmental risks (1 state: OR), as well as economic risks (4 states: AZ, OH, WA). However, this definition can be and is generally interpreted from the perspective of the health and economic risks of not using pesticides, as opposed to analyzing the real hazards or uncertainties (because of inadequate health and environmental effects testing of pesticides) associated with pesticide use.

Prioritized Strategic IPM. With first tier prioritized strategic IPM, state IPM policy seeks to reduce or eliminate hazardous pesticide use on state-owned property and requires the use of clearly defined least-toxic pesticides only as a last resort (2 states: CA, NJ). With second tier prioritized strategic IPM, state IPM policy seeks to reduce or minimize pesticide use, or unnecessary use, and adopt non-chemical practices, while using least-toxic pesticides without specifically requiring a last resort determination (CT, ME). The state of Maine’s policy limits pesticide use to “low impact pesticides.”

Overview of Findings:
  • Ten states have IPM policies, yet they fail to incorporate all eight essential components of IPM;
  • Four of the ten states adopt the IPM policy goal of pesticide reduction or curtailing unnecessary pesticide use;
  • Only two of the four states with specific pesticide reduction goals have a mandatory program;
  • Six states adopt the IPM definition most promoted by the chemical and pest control industry – a combination of methods without priority being given to non-chemical practices and absent toxic reduction or elimination goals and least-toxic chemicals;
  • None of the state policies requires organic practices for management of state lands.
The report findings raise critical questions about the lack of serious effort by state governments to put in place IPM programs on state property. If the ten states that have adopted some form of an IPM policy affecting public property were to correct existing deficiencies and fully implement these policies, then 31% of the nation’s population would be protected from unnecessary pesticide use on state-owned public areas.

Take Action: 
Urge your state to adopt a strong policy regarding toxic chemical use in the management of state-owned and leased property. States must adopt policies (through action of the state legislature or agency regulation) to manage state property with IPM and organic practices that are clearly defined with the goal of eliminating hazardous and unnecessary pesticide use, address the eight essential IPM program components, and ensure adequate funding, full coordination, accountability and enforcement. States should repeal preemption of local authority to restrict pesticides on private property.

States should encourage local jurisdictions to adopt policies and private property owners to put in place programs that ensure IPM and organic principles of eliminating toxic pesticide use.

To sign the National Declaration on the Use of Toxic Lawn Pesticides and pledge your lawn or landscape as organic, please visit www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn, call Beyond Pesticides at (202) 543-5450 or  send an email to info@....



#64 From: K Kopp <k2books@...>
Date: Sun Sep 2, 2007 11:20 pm
Subject: Healthy Room wanted
k2books
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Hello,
I am looking for a room to rent that is
Frangrance-free
and pesticide-free. I have had MCS for 10 yrs and can
pay up to $450 a month. I hope to find a room on the
peninsula between Mtn. View and San Mateo. I will also
consider parts of the south bay.

I need to have an electric stove, no perfumes, and I
am
looking to move in October or November. Please email
me with any info.

Thank you in advance,
Kristine Kopp

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
   PEACE - The world's number one treasure



      
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#63 From: Barri Boone <unmaid43@...>
Date: Sat Sep 1, 2007 7:43 am
Subject: add
unmaid43
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#62 From: isis feral <isisferal@...>
Date: Fri Aug 31, 2007 3:29 am
Subject: pesticide theme on Law & Order: SVU re-airing Friday nite
isisferal
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The episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit entitled "Loophole", which, while fictional, exposes an EPA loophole that allows the pesticide industry to do "observational testing" on humans without informed consent, is scheduled to repeat tomorrow night, Friday, August 31, at 10pm on NBC Channel 11.



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