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Wi-fit: It kills you.

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Joopson quad damage
Hey guys,
just thought I'd post this interesting video I found, with terrible production quality, about how Wi-fi gives off more radiation than cell towers. Fascinating and horrifying stuff, especially these days, where wi-fi is everywhere.
I'd love to see what all yalls have to say about it- worth the risk? Needs more research? Needs more Regulation? Or do we just need to educate people about it?
Or, do you just think it's a load of malarkey.

EDIT: Totes forgotz the linkz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FO0AnNHz8vI

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  • Peris
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    Peris polycounter lvl 17
    the title of that video is: Wi-Fi in Schools: Testing for Microwave Radiation Dangers in the Classroom

    wi-fi isn't microwaves

    it's the same as radiowaves, is pretty damn harmless.
  • MainManiac
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    MainManiac polycounter lvl 11
    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V94shlqPlSI"]Pop corn with cell phones - YouTube[/ame]

    Radiation is all around this and it has to be monitored in some way. The wi-fi/cell phone radiation issue should be getting more attention than global warming.
  • Bigjohn
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    Bigjohn polycounter lvl 11
    That popcorn video is a hoax.
  • Joopson
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    Joopson quad damage
    Yeah, the popcorn video is fake. I mean, even in a real microwave, it isn't typically that quick. Still though, his point stands. With all these frequencies whizzing by us, and through us, we should really take more time to learn about them, &c. We should have easily accessible measurements of these things. I mean, individuals have no control over this- except for things they do themselves, like carrying cellphones. Even without carrying a phone, or using wi-fi, you still get completely pounded by all these signals and waves, and prolonged exposure to anything isn't good.
  • Andreas
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    Andreas polycounter lvl 11
    Gotta be, right? Maybe a heat source under the table? I really hope it is...
  • greevar
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    greevar polycounter lvl 6
    Wifi in netoworking devices use less than 100 mW of power, it's not even strong enough to do anyone any damage.

    @Peris

    Wi-fi is in the microwave spectrum, it's in the S (2.4 GHz 802.11b) and C (5.8 GHz 802.11g) bands.
  • ZacD
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    ZacD ngon master
    Yeah haven't you ever heard microwaves can cause wifi issues? its one of the random questions linksys will ask you when you call in for support. And that cell popcorn video is completely fake, easy to do.

    You don't hear about people that use cell phones all the time randomly dropping dead at the age of 35. What we eat has a much larger impact on health.
  • Joseph Silverman
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    Joseph Silverman polycounter lvl 17
    What about soundwaves? Have you ever thought about all the bad vibrations that could be passing through and around you? Something's up, man. We better get to the bottom about this.

    What about electromagnetic radiation!? I mean, sure, you THINK you can see what's going on, but there's the whole invisible spectrum... Makes me shudder.
  • RexM
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    Microwaves use a 2.4 Ghz signal to cook things by using high strength radio waves.

    That's right, your microwave uses radio waves to cook your food. Same frequency as your wifi devices.

    Cell phones have a lesser impact than Wifi hot spots because of the frequency. Cell phones use a 900 Mhz frequency, which is less harmful... however, it goes further and can penetrate more objects in a row with the lower frequency before complete signal loss.

    Peris wrote: »

    it's the same as radiowaves, is pretty damn harmless.

    Radio waves are what vaporize you in a nuclear explosion... even at low strength, it has been proven that radio waves are far from harmless at these higher frequencies.
  • eld
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    eld polycounter lvl 18
    Radio waves are not ionizing radiation.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionizing_radiation

    The sun is considerably more dangerous than wifi, and ironically also necessary for our survival.
    RexM wrote: »
    Radio waves are what vaporize you in a nuclear explosion... even at low strength, it has been proven that radio waves are far from harmless at these higher frequencies.

    It's thermal radiation, it burns you to death, the same way an industrial laser would burn a hole in you.
  • RexM
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    Yes, hence vaporization.

    Radio waves have been proven to knock off genes from DNA, regardless of what that wikipedia article says.

    Big industry still tries to say radio waves are harmless, but there have been numerous tests that prove otherwise.

    Other countries are starting to acknowledge the dangers of wifi.
  • eld
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    eld polycounter lvl 18
    RexM wrote: »
    Yes, hence vaporization.

    A regular infrared lamp radiates with exactly the same frequency, but it doesn't kill people, I'll let you figure out why.
    RexM wrote: »
    Radio waves have been proven to knock off genes from DNA, regardless of what that wikipedia article says.

    Big industry still tries to say radio waves are harmless, but there have been numerous tests that prove otherwise.

    Other countries are starting to acknowledge the dangers of wifi.

    Please, do link me to a scientific article that has proven that to be true.
  • Esprite
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    Esprite polycounter lvl 9
    I don't trust random youtube videos. Scientific studies please. :(

    Edit: I also wanted to mention there are naturally occurring radio waves in earth's atmosphere.

    If you are really worried about wifi though I can make you a nice hat out of tin foil.
  • JacqueChoi
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    JacqueChoi polycounter
    There is so much pseudo-science that is such complete horseshit I absolutely refuse to believe its true unless proven in a scientific journal.

    Anti-perspirant does NOT cause alzheimers. That was proven to be a complete hoax.


    Wi-Fi does not kill you. This is a bogus thread if there's no science journal link.



    (on a side note my girlfriend just got her first paper published last week in Science Magazine!! As primary author!)
  • Paul Pepera
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    Paul Pepera polycounter lvl 9
    Life: It kills you.
  • Bigjohn
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    Bigjohn polycounter lvl 11
    JacqueChoi wrote: »
    (on a side note my girlfriend just got her first paper published last week in Science Magazine!! As primary author!)

    Nice! Got a link or something? What's it about?
  • CrazyMatt
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    There was an article recently I read about how laptops are a genuine product that will create problems for both men and women reproductive systems.
    Study spoke about how using a laptop on your lap in particular will kill off many sperm in men into becoming sterile as well for women ability to become infertile from the same nature d scenario.
  • Joopson
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    Joopson quad damage
    JacqueChoi wrote: »
    There is so much pseudo-science that is such complete horseshit I absolutely refuse to believe its true unless proven in a scientific journal.

    Anti-perspirant does NOT cause alzheimers. That was proven to be a complete hoax.


    Wi-Fi does not kill you. This is a bogus thread if there's no science journal link.

    Funny, I feel the opposite. But at any rate, when was the antiperspirant proven to be a hoax? Because I don't think it has been- and if it has been, I'm sure an antiperspirant company funded the research. Chemicals interrupt bodily functions; it's ridiculous to think otherwise. No different than what food you put in your body. Of course it makes a difference what you put on your skin.

    And you can't say Wi-fi isn't harmful. You can say you don't believe it, though. And he included many links in the original video's info, though none are from science journals, because why would a science journal research something that no one seems to care about? Just because the mainstream scientists pay no mind doesn't mean they should. Until there is major research done, I refuse to believe it isn't harmful. I'd rather run around with a tin-foil hat on than sit in the corner being lied to all the time. And I think the whole "tin-foil hat" type comment is just a way to dismiss. Which is never something that you should do. To dismiss is an ignorant act.

    Plato's allegory, "The Cave", and the fact that people were punished for thinking the Earth was round, and NOT the center of the universe, are both good examples of how ignorant people can be about things they've been told for so long. I'm not saying believe everything, but take the time to at least consider it.
  • Two Listen
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    CrazyMatt wrote: »
    Study spoke about how using a laptop on your lap in particular will kill off many sperm in men into becoming sterile...

    It's just saying that men who use laptops on their laps frequently may decrease their sperm count because of the constant increase in temperature. Same thing happens to guys who use hot tubs frequently. It's not the evil of technology, it's common sense.

    Edit: To add something more on-topic, I don't know or really care if wi-fi is "dangerous". Even if it is, I'm sure it's no more dangerous than soda, TVs, coffee, things of that nature. A part of me does feel that having all this technology around could well have a negative impact on your health. Florescent lights give me headaches, artificial light as a whole "feels" less healthy than simply opening up the curtains to let some natural light in, I sleep better when the electronics are turned off (even the ones that don't make any noise or give off any light), and my hearing is about twice as good coming home from my somewhat secluded workplace than when I go to work having spent all night in my room full of computers and TVs making ever-so-slight electric "hum" noises.

    That being said, people tend to live longer these days than they did 50 or 100 years ago. I'm certain that if wi-fi doesn't kill me, something else will around the same time anyway. Might as well just live life best you can. Be smart, but don't worry over every little thing.
  • aajohnny
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    aajohnny polycounter lvl 13
    I'll believe it when I die.
  • Joopson
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    Joopson quad damage
    Two Listen wrote: »
    Even if it is, I'm sure it's no more dangerous than soda, TVs, coffee, things of that nature.

    Which is why I don't do those things. I have the control. But I have no control over peoples wifi nonsense.

    Also, I forget where I saw this, but this generation growing up is estimated to be the first to not live to be as old as their parents. At least, the first in a long while.
  • Two Listen
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    Joopson wrote: »
    Which is why I don't do those things. I have the control. But I have no control over peoples wifi nonsense.

    Sure you do, move out into the country. I plan on it, when I can, for many reasons.

    If you're thinking "I shouldn't have to move out into the country to avoid this sort of thing", well that's the world we live in. And it's only as valid a mindset as their thinking "I shouldn't have to stop what I enjoy to help this guy's as-of-yet-unfounded paranoia." It's annoying as hell, but simple truth. From the moment you step out of your door, people are probably killing you. Everything from car fumes, to smoking, to people stressing you out on the roads, or someone not washing their hands when preparing your food at Wendy's.

    My point was, without some concrete evidence and long-term study, I don't think it's worth getting worked up over.

    And I can see why this generation might not live as long as their parents. There's more unhealthy things to eat, more ways to make money while sitting on your ass doing nothing (physical), and less room to actually get out and about to enjoy life. I'm sure it has nothing to do with wi-fi.
  • Joseph Silverman
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    Joseph Silverman polycounter lvl 17
    Two Listen wrote: »
    My point was, without some concrete evidence and long-term study...

    OR ANY BASIS IN REASON OR PHYSICS.

    Waves and radiation of all sorts are going around and through us at all times. They are not an inherently harmful thing. I have never heard a physicist or chemist worry about this shit, because it doesn't make sense. It's like worrying that the oxygen in water might catch on fire during a sunny day. Distantly grounded in a real thing, but completely illogical.

    There is SO MUCH SCARY STUFF going on in the world, like poverty, human suffering, and guns, I can't imagine why you would spend time worrying that maybe maybe maybe there's an implausible health risk, or some kind of bad juju, associated with radio waves.

    Us creative types tend toward being way too paranoid and high strung about stuff we haven't even intelligently researched. In this case, you're being completely irrational.
  • megalmn2000
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    megalmn2000 polycounter lvl 13
    I believe this. When I was in college, every time I walk on a wi-fi area, I start to have a tiny headaches, feeling something warm too. When I go outside the area, I feel a lot better. Same thing happened to my friend. Well, this is just my personal experience.
  • Brendan
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    Brendan polycounter lvl 8
    ZacD wrote: »
    You don't hear about people that use cell phones all the time randomly dropping dead at the age of 35. What we eat has a much larger impact on health.

    cell_phones.png
  • RexM
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    It's far from a maybe, it is 100% true that it is harmful.

    Also, Anti-perspiration can cause Alzheimer's because they use aluminum in most deodorants to clog pores. Yes, that's mostly how it keeps you dry.

    However, your body will absorb and accumulate whatever isn't washed off... and it is a known fact that aluminum is at least a major contributor, or can be, for Alzheimer's.

    Instead of asking people for links, why don't you guys do a little research yourselves...? Is it really that hard for you to do legitimate research and come to your own conclusion, instead of dismissing something outright?

    How far would we have gotten if we dismissed everything like that?

    We'd be screwed. The industrial revolution would never have happened.
  • Two Listen
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    RexM wrote: »
    Instead of asking people for links, why don't you guys do a little research yourselves...? Is it really that hard for you to do legitimate research and come to your own conclusion, instead of dismissing something outright?

    I just looked up a bunch of stuff and found several other threads like this, where someone said it was harmful or asked if it was harmful, and pretty much everyone agreed it wasn't harmful and that people were just being paranoid.
  • RexM
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    Awesome, that proves.... what, exactly?

    That society thinks radio waves are harmless, because no real research has gone into determining their long term effects on biological organisms? Society doesn't have the general education to gauge how harmful something like radio waves can be.

    Just like how we found out, decades later, that high levels of aluminum can help to cause Alzheimer's? I bet aluminum was considered 'harmless' then as well.

    Ignorance does not make something fact. Mass ignorance still does not make something fact.


    The mobile industry is one of the biggest things right now, and Wifi fuels it all. Radiowaves in general fuel it all.

    They have deep pockets to make sure no legitimate research is done, and the big companies' dismiss concerns just like you dismiss them.

    Oh, a link.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1479591/Radio-waves-from-mobiles-damage-DNA-study-finds.html

    You guys seem to like Wikipedia, so here you go as well.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health
  • Two Listen
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    Two Listen polycount sponsor
    Do you even read the articles you post?
    Although he advised people to use landlines as a precaution, he warned that the study did not prove that mobiles caused disease because the research was carried out in laboratories and did not reflect real life.

    He said: "These experiments were carried out in glass tubes, so it is not possible to prove conclusively either way.

    "But we feel that this data would support the message that there might be something there."

    Prof Adlokofer called for more research to be carried out...
  • GarageBay9
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    GarageBay9 polycounter lvl 13
    Joopson wrote: »
    Funny, I feel the opposite. But at any rate, when was the antiperspirant proven to be a hoax? Because I don't think it has been- and if it has been, I'm sure an antiperspirant company funded the research. Chemicals interrupt bodily functions; it's ridiculous to think otherwise. No different than what food you put in your body. Of course it makes a difference what you put on your skin.

    I can't... this... you don't...

    Sigh.

    Cave Johnson is going to beat you to death with lemons.


    I don't have time to write up a full refutation, but this sort of suggestible credibility paranoia and the failure to do due diligence in verifying assertions is one of the reasons that we have people believing a vapid Playboy Bunny about autism causation instead of trained neuropathologists.

    I weep for a world that can't trust its science.
  • RexM
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    Two Listen wrote: »
    Do you even read the articles you post?


    Yes, nice; point out one thing and just ignore the rest of the article.

    That quote means nothing, since you took it out of its context and decided to ignore the rest.

    Here you go, the rest of the article you conveniently ignored:
    The Reflex study, conducted by 12 groups across Europe, found that cells exposed to high-frequency radio waves from mobiles had significantly more breaks in single and double-strand DNA.

    (This invalidates the claims that were made on this thread without proof, saying that radio waves can only heat organisms.)

    Much of the damage to genomes - the carrier of genes - could not be repaired and could lead to the development of "catastrophic" diseases such as cancer, the study claimed.

    The £2.1 million study found that cells exposed to five-minute bursts of radio waves suffered more damage that those under constant radiation.

    It also found that older cells were more susceptible to low-frequency waves from power lines as well as the high frequencies emitted from handsets.

    Prof Franz Adlokofer, of the German research group Verum, said the research showed that the gene repair system loses its effectiveness with age and that older people were "more vulnerable".
  • Two Listen
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    Two Listen polycount sponsor
    You do realize that one thing I pointed out was kinda...grossly important, right?
  • RexM
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    No, it wasn't.

    You took it out of context and ignored the rest of the article. Scientists say things like that to cover their asses.

    Here's the most important part of the article:
    The Reflex study, conducted by 12 groups across Europe, found that cells exposed to high-frequency radio waves from mobiles had significantly more breaks in single and double-strand DNA.
  • Two Listen
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    The article says that cells in tubes in a laboratory exposed to bursts of radiation suffered damage from radiation. No fucking shit. Seriously? This is news?

    It also says that old people are more vulnerable. Congratulations. Old people are more at risk to EVERYTHING.

    I didn't conveniently ignore anything, I just read the entire thing and decided not to flip my shit because of the top half by itself. I read the bottom half as well, and realized "Oh, hey, this doesn't necessarily reflect a real life scenario and doesn't really tell me anything I didn't already assume."

    You're talking to a guy who had a cell phone contract for a mighty one year before cancelling it for a $20 pre-paid piece of crap. I have a mighty 7 contacts on my phone, of those only 3 are actual people (my wife, a brother, my supervisor at work). My internet is wired, I'm a vegetarian, and my long term goal is to live as off the grid as I can while still managing freelance artwork. If you think I'm sitting here surrounding myself in every little radiation-emitting gadget I can get my hands on without a care in the world, that's simply inaccurate.

    I just don't see the point in shitting yourself every time you walk into a McDonald's because it's got wi-fi, while you order yourself a big mac.
  • Ben Apuna
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    I think if you're eating big macs on a regular basis you've got more to worry about than wifi causing you cancer...

    I'm a bit more worried about skin cancer (from the sun) and cataracts (also from the sun... sigh).
  • RexM
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    Err..... just because we're discussing something we're making a big deal out of it now?

    It's about awareness. It's about being informed. I don't see anybody in here freaking out or 'shitting themselves'. Sure, there may be some things that are more immediately dangerous. We've already considered and know about those, what's wrong with a little forward thinking coming from the fact that we don't know as much as we think we do?

    It's like ever since we had computers everyone thinks we know everything... however, we haven't even scratched the surface of understanding too many things to mention.

    We can't even prove that subatomic particles exist, because when we try to magnify that close, the particle disappears and we have to use mathematical equations to guess by probability as to where a certain particle is.

    That's right - an actual sub-atomic particle has never been shown under any microscope.... only atoms / molecules.
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 18
    take a drink for every logical fallacy in this thread.
  • Keg
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    Keg polycounter lvl 18
    take a drink for every logical fallacy in this thread.

    I'm not interested in alcohol poisoning just yet
  • R3D
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    R3D interpolator
    Does WiFi give off more radiation than the sun?

    If not, then I know what we should try to get rid of first.
  • The Flying Monk
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    The Flying Monk polycounter lvl 18
    I was going to post something flippant and sarcastic.

    I don't think I can top this.
    RexM wrote: »
    That's right - an actual sub-atomic particle has never been shown under any microscope.... only atoms / molecules.

    If your worried about radio waves giving you cancer, or government mind control waves. You can go live in a Faraday cage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage
  • rolfness
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    rolfness polycounter lvl 18
    LOL atthis thread...

    I mean seriously.. we come into contact with many more things in a normal day that are more likely to kill us than wifi or mobiles..

    I just got back from a month long work trip to asia

    9 flights that totalled more than 48 hours of flight time
    Crossing roads in foreign countries where people drive like lunatics (hanoi omfg)at least 100 times
    crossing the road .. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJXGQxGGu_U"]The ULTIMATE Adrenaline Sport Crossing a Road in Hanoi... - YouTube[/ame]

    using local taxis
    Eating dubious food in all of these places
    drinking alcohol (I was wasted for atleast 15 nights of that trip) from these places some of it local (read nasty)
    catching a flu in mainlain china
    pissing off a local security guy at aclub for harrassing my friend
    using wifi and my phone for this trip

    which one of the above is most likely to kill me not my phone or my laptop..
  • Kwramm
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    Kwramm interpolator
    rolfness wrote: »
    catching a flu in mainlain china

    that's the least of my worries here. I'm happy if I survive the traffic :/
  • Joopson
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    Joopson quad damage
    Yes, other stuff is more immediately dangerous. But things that damage our DNA, in any level, screw with our kids as well. And their kids'll be even more damaged. And Natural selection will finally take back the human race. Which is cool with me, I just want to do everything I can for myself and my family line.

    The whole point of this thread was not to say "OMG, U GON' DIE!", it was just a heads up, like "Hey, this may be bad for you."
    It Degenerated quicker than the Human cells exposed to Wi-fi. (Preety good, eh?)

    Anyway, time to move on from this thread, me thinks.
  • rolfness
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    rolfness polycounter lvl 18
    Kwramm wrote: »
    that's the least of my worries here. I'm happy if I survive the traffic :/

    if there was one thing that nearlly killed me in china, it wasnt the flu but a lunatic in Xiamen that thought it was possible for 4 guys to drink 3 bottles of 50+% alcohol maotai... holy shit...
    Joopson wrote: »
    Yes, other stuff is more immediately dangerous. But things that damage our DNA, in any level, screw with our kids as well. And their kids'll be even more damaged. And Natural selection will finally take back the human race. Which is cool with me, I just want to do everything I can for myself and my family line.

    The whole point of this thread was not to say "OMG, U GON' DIE!", it was just a heads up, like "Hey, this may be bad for you."
    It Degenerated quicker than the Human cells exposed to Wi-fi. (Preety good, eh?)

    Anyway, time to move on from this thread, me thinks.

    well you say that and you title the thread Wifi it Kills you!!
  • RexM
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    I was going to post something flippant and sarcastic.

    I don't think I can top this.


    If your worried about radio waves giving you cancer, or government mind control waves. You can go live in a Faraday cage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage

    Great, create a straw man and make up stuff I never said. That's a fantastic way to make friends.

    This has been an issue with Polycount as of late. When people bring up legitimate concerns, others' brush them aside out of pure ignorance.

    rolfness wrote: »
    well you say that and you title the thread Wifi it Kills you!!

    Yes, proving that once again people in general will post anything, regardless of what they actually know about the first post.

    Half of the people in this thread did not watch the video and I can guarantee you that, since the Youtube video links to dozens of studies that prove that even non-ionizing radiation has measureable effects on DNA.
  • RexM
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    Double post... whoops
  • Joopson
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    Joopson quad damage
    I was being facetious- It was meant to be a moderately humorous title, assuming the video was watched. And in the post, I said nothing of the kind. Just the title.
    Does no-one understand sarcasm anymore? I expected polycount, of all places, would appreciate the thread title.
  • j_bradford
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    j_bradford polycounter lvl 17
    The delivered power of an RF wave drops with the square of the distance. So even a single watt from a cell phone next your head is more of a risk than something like a ten watt signal from a wifi router many feet away. I don't think people are strapping routers to their heads with tape are they? I would be more worried about cell phones being a risk, if at all.
  • Ben Apuna
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    I appreciate the heads up, but I was under the assumption that every electronic device gave off "something" in small amounts that is generally harmful to the human body when it is exposed to enough of "it".

    So in the end this isn't really news, not to me at least. I guess it's the thought that counts so thanks! :)

    On the subject of wifi I personally don't use it due to the security risks involved rather than the potential health risks.

    EDIT:

    Electromagnetic fields was the "something" I was speaking of earlier, just couldn't remember the term... I'm getting old... or exposed to too many electromagnetic fields...
  • PhattyEwok
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