Comments

 Comment to Josh Chandler's blog
Topic: Legalising Marijuana 1 October 2012 02:22

Personally, marijuana should be banned even though addictive rate (9%) is lower than tobacco (32%) and alcohol (15%) as a report by AMI. That is because people may be addiction to hard drug such as heroin and cocaine.


Comment to Shao Yi Chen's blog
Topic: Plastic Surgery 30 September 2012 04:56

Glade to see your great work. However, as you said on benefits of plastic surgery part, people will get confidence after plastic surgery it may be possible to change their personality as well as appearance. like she was an introvert, but now she is extrovert as a result of plastic surgery. who do you think?


 Comment to Jozie Toeava's blog
Topic: Animal Cruelty 30 September 2012 04:26

Great work! I was shocked when I watched documentary programme shows how human killing animals to make fur in China. It's sad and unacceptable. And I totally agree that fur and other staff made by animal skis may glamorous because media makes it look tempting as you said.


Comment to Anna Yip's blog
Topic: Overpopulation 30 September 2012 07:06

What actions to be taken to solve this matter by certain cities or certain countries, undeveloped countries? I know that China is doing only one child policy but in my opinion to proven to birth is not basic solution. 

On the other hand, some developed countries population is gradually dropping and low fertility causes aging population that is expected to become a major obstacle the country's long term economic growth.


Comment to Jennifer Lian's blog
Topic: China’s One Child Policy 27 September 2012 22:47

HI jennifer, 
Your topic is quite interesting for me. In Korea around the early 1980s, we have nearly same policy but not as strict as China. I want to see more ideas quickly how you are going to develop and discuss about this topic. Cheers!

jozie21 Commented 20 September 2012 22:45

Hello Katie, I ws shocked to read that sperm can be affected. But does the sperm get affected by Wi-Fi itself or the laptop? Sorry I was just asking because i was bait unsure.

Reply

Katie Kim23 September 2012 19:50
I got other article you may be interested about this issue.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2011/11/29/can-wi-fi-kill-your-sperm/
In the article said that "in the study, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, researchers took semen samples from 29 healthy volunteers and placed them under a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop connected to the Internet."
and they advise to avoide using smartphones and other internet browsing tools as well as laptop

Introduction

A wireless network is sadly an important part of schools, so  about 70 percent of primary schools and 80 percent of secondary schools have installed it for convenience and education purpose.

However, it must be said that schools should turn off the wireless network for especially primary students because of potential health risks such as headache, dizziness, memory loss, and difficulty in concentration.

This article will review the health issues connected to wireless technology which are used by students and look at the current council's policy on Wi-Fi. 

Wi-Fi: in Schools

Wi-Fi is short for Wireless Fidelity and is a particular type of wireless local area network (WLAN) - i.e., you do not need to plug your computer into a phone network via a cable. There are many types of WLAN but all of them allow user two or more computers to form a network using radio frequency (RF) signals. They allow users to access and share data, applications, internet access or other network resources in the same way as wired networks (cable) systems.

Recently many schools have installed a Wi-Fi system in the school areas in a wide range of educational institute from primary to higher education surprisingly even students are enable to surf the Web in the yellow school buses on their way to school. Wireless networks offer great benefits for schools for example, teachers are able to use restricted school physical space more effectively by using their laptop connected Wi-Fi network beyond the school. Wireless networks can support pupils and the wider community in networking with each other and with access to the internet.
 

Unfortunately, schools seem to have overlooked one important fact that there are potential health risks linked to Wi-Fi. Dr. Riina Bray, an environmental health specialist at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, assert that two or three of her patients every week suffer from ailments related to high- radio frequency waves (RF); Wi-Fi routers, cellphone and other radio-frequency sources. Moreover Bray found that hypersensitivity patients have increased about 12 times compared with five years ago. Typically her patients report to her that the symptoms lessen or disappear when they get away from RF sources.

Health problems and banning Wi-Fi

Around 70% of primary schools and 81 % of secondaries
already have wireless technology

Some parents believe that the Wi-Fi is making their children sick and therefore they gather their voice to ban Wi-Fi system from schools. They are afraid that radiation emitted from the system causes health problems including brain damage to pupils, even though schools and some health organizations such as the Health Protection Agency in the UK state "there is no consistent evidence to date that Wi-Fi and WLANs adversely affect the health of the general population".

It is recognised, however, that there is a lack of research in this field. According to Dr Andrew Goldsworthy, a retired biologist of Imperial College, London, the "existence of safety guidelines should not be taken as proof that Wi-Fi networks are safe."

Sir William Stewart, Chairman of the Health Protection Agency, has also called for a precautionary approach and further research to give parents as much reassurance as possible.

Children' s brains absorb twice more radiation

This issue is not only happening in the UK. The Canadian Press (2010) reported that 14 Ontario schools in Barrie, Bradford, Collingwood, Orillia and Wasaga Beach’s students are having symptoms from light headaches to heavy dizziness, nausea and also include memory loss, trouble concentrating, hyperactivity, night sweats and insomnia. In general the symptoms are easy to find among young children that is because we have clear evidence form that shows that children, especially young children, are going to absorb much more radiation than older children and adults because physically their brain is developing, thinner skulls and smaller size of brains more closely approximates the size of the wavelength being deployed.

Conclusion

To conclude, researches about risks of Wi-Fi effects to human body especially the young and still developing brains are still not enough and researchers are not 100 percent sure all the symptoms that children are showing come from Wi-Fi. There have been several warnings from scientists, researchers, doctors, and professors that microwave radiation is harmful to children, and should be reduced and avoided.

To protect our children’s health, Wi-Fi should be banned from schools until we can make sure that wireless communication devices are safe for children. The reports from the council's Committee on the Environment, Agriculture and Local and Regional Affairs (2010) said that “Waiting for high levels of scientific and clinical proof can lead to very high health and economic costs, as was the case in the past with asbestos, leaded petrol and tobacco, as was the case in the past with asbestos, leaded petrol and tobacco.”

 

References

Microwave News. (2010). Children and Cell phones: Time to Start Talking Sense. Retrieved August 28, 2012, from http://microwavenews.com/news-center/children-and-cell-phones-time-start-talking-sense

Paton, G. (2007). Wi-fi 'should be banned in schools'. Retrieved September 28, 2012, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1559141/Wi-fi-should-be-banned-in-schools.html

The Canadian Press. (2010). Parents complain Wi-Fi is making students sick. Retrieved September 27, 2012, from http://www.cp24.com/parents-complain-wi-fi-is-making-students-sick-1.542614

Kirkup, K. (2011). Wi-Fi making kids, teachers sick?. Retrieved September 27, 2012, from http://www.torontosun.com/2011/10/06/wi-fi-making-kids-teachers-sick

Dillon, S. (2010). Wi-Fi turns Arizona Bus Ride into a Rolling Study Hall. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/12/education/12bus.html

Mertl, S. (2012). No end to debate over Wi-Fi health effects as Toronto doctor treats hypersensitive patents. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/no-end-debate-over-wi-fi-health-effects-221442586.html

BBC news. (2009). Parents concerned by school wi-fi. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/8318544.stm

Roberts, M. (2011). Scientists question if wi-fi laptops can damage sperm. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15943816

Health Protection Agency. (2012). wifi. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/Radiation/UnderstandingRadiation/UnderstandingRadiationTopics/ElectromagneticFields/WiFi/

Go Further, Go Wireless. Education - Advantages of Wireless. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.gofurthergowireless.co.uk/education-wireless-advanta.html

Webopedia. (n.d.). wi-fi. Retrieved August 30, 2012 from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Wi_Fi.html

Cole, G. (2007). Is Wi-Fi safe?. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2007/jun/19/elearning.technology8?INTCMP=SRCH

BBC News. (2007). Wi-fi health fears are 'unproven'. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6676129.stm

Beschizza, R(2006). Wi-Fi as a Health Hazard. Retrieve August 30, 2012, from http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/12/72265?currentPage=all HealthRanger7 (2012, February 21). The Dangers of Wi-Fi [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiO7ofDGoD8&noredirect=1 (2012, June 27). Is Wi-Fi safe for Children? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www.safeinschool.org/ Mayer, A. (2008). Wi-Fi Schools of the Future. Retrieved August 30, 2012, from http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/columns/article.php/3750886

Research on the subject of Wi-Fi

This website expresses the benefits of wireless network to teachers, students and school beyond the education. Also, students are able to do homework with access internet even in the school buses on their way to school. It makes students to reduce the behavioral problems what was often a boisterous bus ride into a rolling study hall and bugging each others.

In this article  parents have signed a petition against the installation of a Wi-Fi Internet connection at primary school in the UK. They believe that radiation emitted from the system causes health problems including brain problems to pupils.

What supports the parents' opinion is that the Health Protection Agency (HPA) believes that people who use Wi-Fi or get in its proximity will be exposed to emissions of its radio signals. These signals transmit energy that may be absorbed in thier bodies even though they could be low in energy. Till present, the HPA could not find any consistent evidence that health of the general public could be affected negatively by exposure to these signals.

On the other side this article shows also that recently many people are suffering from stabbing headaches, “brain fog,” tinnitus (a ringing in the ears) or extreme fatigue because of Wi-Fi routers, cell phone towers and other sources of radio-frequency radiation.

BBC News published an article that Wi-Fi may damage sperm quality. According to a research result, when using Wi-Fi connected Internet on the lap top, the sperm have less movement than it is under identical conditions, without the laptop. The scientists reported their findings in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility.

Children are especially vulnerable to Wi-Fi radiation signal because their nervous systems and brans are still developing. their skulls are thinner and smaller, so the radiation penetrates their brans more deeply. Many schools are now using Wi-Fi but this is negatively affecting the learning abilities of children.
http://safeschool.ca/Home.html_script_src__http_.html

This website define what is Wi-Fi and give more detail technically how Wi-Fi works.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/W/Wi_Fi.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2007/jun/19/elearning.technology8?INTCMP=SRCH

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6676129.stm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiO7ofDGoD8&noredirect=1 http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/12/72265?currentPage=all http://www.safeinschool.org/ http://www.wi-fi.org/wi-fi-your-life/wi-fi-schools