================================================================ MindNet Journal - Vol. 1, No. 12 ================================================================ V E R I C O M M / MindNet "Quid veritas est?" ================================================================ Notes: The following is reproduced here with the express permission of the author. Permission is given to reproduce and redistribute, for non-commercial purposes only, provided this information and the copy remain intact and unedited. The views and opinions expressed below are not necessarily the views and opinions of VERICOMM, MindNet, or the editors unless otherwise noted. Editor: Mike Coyle Contributing Editors: Walter Bowart Harlan Girard Assistant Editor: Rick Lawler ================================================================ THE COSMIC ITCHING POWDER David S. Walonick, Ph.D Feeling stressed? Maybe a little edgy? There's a reason... and it might not be what you think. This is a very scary story. If The Invasion of the Body Snatchers made you squeamish, then don't continue. Put this down now and forget about it. Heed my warning --- this story is so strange that it should not be told to the weak at heart. Its about science, technology, stress, intolerance, sickness, and the invasion of the cosmic itching powder. Fasten your seatbelt. You're about to embark upon a voyage into the bizarre. But most of all, remember... It's out there right now. Invisible and silent. The cosmic itching powder is doing it to you. Science fiction? Unfortunately not. Most social scientists recognize the stress that humanity is experiencing. Only a few have hypothesized that it is being caused by the systemic effect of electropollution. This is the theory of the cosmic itching powder. I admit that its a somewhat untraditional theory. In fact, most people consider it simply too fantastic to be possible. It is, however, a theory grounded in generally accepted scientific principals, and represents a synthesis of many ideas developed by other scholars. Deep beneath the surface of the Earth is a spinning core of molten iron. This rotational energy creates a dipole magnetic field around the planet similar to a bar magnetic. Our compass registers a north and south pole. Ninety-three million miles away, the sun is emitting lethal high-energy atomic particles. These particles, often called the solar wind, travel through space and crash into the magnetic field of the Earth. The impact creates a strong magnetic field distortion. The resulting structure of the Earth's magnetic field is known as the magneto-sphere. The Earth's magneto-sphere protects us from the deadly radiation emitted by the sun. Without it, life could not exist. On the side of the planet closest to the sun, the magnetic field is compressed by the impact of the solar particles, and on the side away from the sun, the field stretches out into a long tail. The result is that most solar radiation is either trapped in the Earth's own magnetic field, or diverted harmlessly around and away from the Earth. As the Earth rotates to produce a twenty-four hour day-night cycle, the magnetic field at any given location changes (.2 - .6 gauss). During the day, the magnetic field is compressed, and at night, it is diminished. The rise and fall of the magnetic field corresponds to our biological rhythms. Observing our own circadian rhythms makes it clear that we are somehow synchronized with the rotation of the Earth. In fact, it may be possible that life itself evolved as a result of Earth's fluctuating magnetic energy field. Complex organic molecules can exist in two mirror-image forms... a left-hand and right-hand molecule. When we create these compounds in a test tube, we always get a fifty-fifty mix. All living organisms, however, contain only one kind. Recent magnetic techniques have successfully produced all left or all right-handed molecules. It may be that magnetism played a role in the creation of the first DNA... the origin of life. In addition to the twenty-four hour cycle, there are several other weaker magnetic cycles. As the solar wind crashes into Earth's magnetic field, billions of watts of energy are released in the form of ionizing radiation and other electromagnetic radiation. Some of the radiation becomes trapped in the Earth's magnetic field, and begins to bounce back and forth between the magnetic North and South poles. These extremely weak magnetic ducts make up the background radiation of the Earth. This radiation is always present, and roughly corresponds to the dimensions of our planet. The Earth itself is resonant at about ten hertz, and this is the prominent frequency in the natural background radiation. Prior to the twentieth century, all electromagnetic radiation was of natural origin. The biosphere was an ocean of weak micropulsations. Organic life evolved in harmony and synchronization with the energy fields that existed. They provided the pulse for the evolution of life. For thousands of years, we developed in the presence of these organic energy fields. The Earth was a part of us, and we were able to feel its heartbeat. Our bodies and minds were synchronized with the energy cycles of our natural environment. The entire biological organism evolved in the presence of these fields. Gravitational changes from the moon created a twenty-eight day lunar cycle. Magnetic changes from the rotation of the Earth created a twenty-four hour circadian cycle. Our brains became synchronized with the resonant frequency of the Earth itself, a ten hertz magnetic wave created from the energy from the sun. This alpha brain-wave frequency is associated with feelings of relaxation, peacefulness and harmony. We remained in communion with our environment until the beginning of the twentieth century. As the "Electronic Revolution" unfolded, the environment was bombarded by cosmic itching powder --- non-natural electromagnetic radiation. Sixty hertz power transmission lines criss-crossed the country, and radio waves were beaming music into our homes. For the first time in history, man-made emissions overpowered the low-level ten hertz wave that had synchronized our brains since the dawn of time. We gradually became lost... out of touch with our environment. It was difficult to notice at first, and it didn't happen suddenly. We can't blame the government for what happened next. There is no way the Federal Communications Commission could have known about the deadly effects of the frequencies they assigned to the new FM radio and television technology. Radio and television stations sprang up across the country in metropolitan areas. Unfortunately, the peak resonant frequency of the human body is in the middle of the FM radio and television bands. Cancer became a common disease. Electropollution is out there. No scientific investigator would deny this fact. Its measurable and quantifiable. The question is how, and to what extent, does it affect us. The most significant effect of electropollution has been to produce chronic stress in all living organisms. This has had profound effects on our total physical and mental well-being. Physically, our immune systems are weakened and we are more prone to disease. We have seen significant drops in fertility levels, and increases in birth defects and impaired brain functioning. Mentally, we are in a constant state of stress. Our rationality, as a species, is in question. Humanity is stressed out. Stress is a catalyst for intolerance, one of the most important social issues facing the world. Intolerance often leads to violence. We will always have ethnic, religious, and philosophical differences. If we can learn to tolerate each others differences, we may survive as a planet. If we don't, we shall surely destroy ourselves. The notion of an invisible energy force affecting us is not as strange as it might first seem. Millions of women report similar PMS symptoms during their twenty-eight day lunar cycle. Electropollution acts like an itching powder, directly affecting our subconscious mind... below our level of perception. It just makes us edgy. Everyone is affected to some degree, but some individuals appear to be more sensitive than others. Electropollution levels in technologically advanced areas have become so intense that they completely overpower the natural background energy of the Earth. The result is that humanity has lost its communion with the Earth. We have lost our feeling of oneness with the planet, and we have allowed the poisons in our environment to reach critical levels. During the first half of this century, it became clear that biological organisms are indeed physically sensitive to some forms of electromagnetic radiation. Symptoms included burns, fevers, eye cataracts, brain tumors, leukemias and chromosomal abnormalities. The military established safety limits based on the thermal heating effects of radiation (i.e., burns and fevers). Other non-thermal effects were ignored, even though their existence was well documented. In 1966, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) adopted the military standards for civilian exposure in the workplace. These standards were brought into question by the scientific community almost immediately. In the early 70's, the Oregon Health Sciences University, in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency, found a significant correlation between the incidence of leukemia in Portland and the intensity of FM radio waves. The EPA took no action, but throughout the 70's, scientists around the world reported finding significant biological effects from very low levels of electromagnetic radiation. By 1980, the military and civilian standards were being challenged. In order to quell the rising controversy, the U.S. Air Force funded an expensive animal study to prove that chronic exposure to low levels of electromagnetic radiation were not dangerous. The laboratory rats were "gnotobiotic" animals, delivered by cesarean section, and raised in a sterile environment to be free from germs and viruses. The radiation levels in the experiment were twenty times less than the military and civilian safety standards. It was a shock to the entire scientific community when the experimental group developed over three times as many malignant tumors as the control group. Electromagnetic radiation (the kind that you're being exposed to right now), can cause or trigger cancer. In 1986, the Department of Public Health in Honolulu learned that cancer rates were higher in nearly every area where a broadcast tower was located. No action was taken by the State of Hawaii. By 1988, researchers at the University of Texas had found that electric-power company workers had an incidence of brain tumors thirteen times that of the normal population. The tumors were specifically linked to the sixty hertz fields that the workers were exposed to. This is the same sixty hertz field that emanates from the power lines around the country. In 1991, two Swedish studies and one U.S. study again confirmed the link to cancer. Over the past thirty years, many thousands of well-designed research studies and replications have conclusively proved that low levels of electromagnetic radiation have strong biological effects on humans. The two most prominent effects are increases in stress and cancers. We have also been able to identify changes in brain neurochemicals and genetic abnormalities. It turns out that all these effects are caused only by extremely low frequency radiation. The ELF frequencies occupy a very narrow portion at the bottom of the electromagnetic spectrum (0-100 hertz). These are the frequencies that the Earth uses to communicate with her offspring. With the exception of lightning, all natural electromagnetic emissions from the Earth are in the ELF portion of the spectrum. Human beings are receivers and transmitters of energy. Our cells show the same crystalline properties of the earth we evolved from. Crystals have the ability to manipulate energy. They can convert, store, rectify and control energy. All living organisms exhibit these same properties at macro and micro levels. In 1992, scientists discovered microscopic magnetite crystals scattered throught the human brain. This magnetic substance was the missing link. It provided a possible answer as to how this communication could be possible. Recent studies suggest a mechanism of action involving cyclotron resonance where the magnetic energy field concentrates its effect on biologically important ions, such as sodium, calcium, potassium, and lithium. Are non-ELF frequencies safe? No. It turns out that, regardless of their frequencies, all man-made electromagnetic fields produce the same biological effects. Radio waves and microwaves of all frequencies are carriers of ELF signals. The ELF's modulate the radio signals and "ride" them around the planet. The magnetite crystals in the brain sense the changing electromagnetic energy field, and through some yet unknown mechanism, the brain demodulates the signal and responds to it. The loud jungle of non-natural electropollution makes the signals of the Earth and cosmos pale in comparison. We have literally been cut off from our natural environment by the overpowering bombardment of electromagnetic pollution. Non-natural electromagnetic energy is everywhere on the planet. It is generated by our technology. There's no place you can go to escape from it. It is not enough to simply identify societal problems. A good theory must be able to provide solutions, or at least directions for further study. The theory of the cosmic itching powder is no exception. Human sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation is a well-documented fact. However, social policy makers will not address the issue unless public pressure is applied. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Communications Commission must join forces to re-evaluate the current civilian exposure limits. New standards need to be implemented that reflect current scientific knowledge. The Surgeon General should issue a general health warning to the public. These things will not happen, however, until the public perceives the seriousness of the problem. The need for public education is obvious. The scientific community must initiate a full scale effort to educate the public regarding this public health risk. The most immediate need is to disseminate information on "practical prudent avoidance techniques". These techniques involve taking measures to avoid magnetic field exposure that entail little or no cost. In other words, finding simple ways to reduce the dose of radiation that we are exposed to. Several steps can be taken to minimize ones risk from electromagnetic energy. The goal is to reduce the total dose of radiation that we are exposed to. This involves minimizing both the duration and levels of the exposure. The appendix contains a list of practical prudent avoidance techniques that the reader can implement for their own personal safety. The technology for long term solutions to this problem is available now. It will not be implemented without intense public pressure. Major corporate and military entities control the power switch. 1. Use cable and direct satellite broadcasts to replace existing radio and television transmitting towers. These towers produce very strong energy fields for distances up to a half mile. Most could be readily converted to cable or satellite. Satellite repeaters cover wide geographic areas and produce very low energy power levels on the ground. They can provide a relatively safe public communications system. Shorter term solutions involve restricting transmitter power levels and possible blackout times. The goal is to reduce the total ambient radiation. 2. Convert the basic structure of the entire national power system. The production and distribution of energy is in the hands of powerful corporate entities. They will not willingly release their monopolistic concerns. Photovoltic, wind, and other renewable energy sources can be used to replace our nationwide transmission power grid. This dispersed type of energy generation structure will reduce (or eliminate) the need for high-voltage long-distance transmission power lines. The cost of the technology to accomplish this conversion is currently competitive with public utility rates. Nearly everyone agrees that our society is stressed. The systemic effect of electropollution directly affects our feeling of well-being. We can reduce our stress level by reducing our exposure to electromagnetic radiation. The next time that you drive out of the city, notice what happens to your stress level as you get further away from the high intensity radiation of the metropolitan area. Unfortunately, there's an even darker side to this theory. Electropollution is destroying society as we know it. It may be producing either evolutionary changes or extinction of the human species. Hays examined the magnetic field reversals of our planet's history and found that many species became extinct following these magnetic anomalies. The great "die-outs" were somehow linked to the disruption of the magnetic fields that existed during the evolution of the species. The dinosaurs were part of the last great extinction during the Cretaceous geological era. During each magnetic field reversal, the most advanced species were the most affected. Scientists have proposed two possible explanations. One is that magnetic field reversals were accompanied by changes in the Earth's ELF background radiation, thus causing modifications in behavior that reduced the survival efficiency of the more advanced species. The other is that the magnetic changes caused genetic alterations, resulting in defective offspring. Both theories may be correct. The natural geological magnetic field reversals of the past are dwarfed by the electropollution created by modern society. We cannot afford to neglect this problem any longer, for if we do, humanity may follow the footsteps of the dinosaurs. Suggested Reading Becker, R. 1990. Cross Currents: The Perils of Electropollution / The Promise of Electromedicine. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher. Appendix Electromagnetic Radiation Practical Prudent Avoidance Techniques Many studies have found that even short exposures to field strengths of 3-milligauss will produce biological effects. Leading researchers suggest that continuous exposure to a sixty hertz power levels should not exceed energy levels of 1-milligauss. All of the following "practical prudent avoidance techniques" will result in exposure levels that meet this requirement. 1. The use of electric blankets should be discontinued because of the high magnetic field strengths and the length of exposure. Electric razors, hair dryers, and curling irons also produce high-strength magnetic fields, and although the exposure is of much shorter duration, their use should be discouraged. 2. Position yourself at least four feet away from the television. Many people are already taking this precaution after having heard about the ionizing radiation being emitted from the television screen. This radiation described in this paper is different, and is being produced by the electronics within the set itself. 3. Maintain a distance of two and a half feet from your computer video-display terminal. Models built before 1982 give off substantially higher levels of radiation and should no longer be used. If possible, install an ELF filter on the video monitor. 4. Avoid long exposures to fluorescent lights. Maintain a distance of three to four feet from overhead fluorescent light fixtures. Stop using floor and desk lamps that contain fluorescent bulbs. 5. If your home utilizes electric baseboard heaters, position your furniture and bed at least three feet away. Use the same precaution for small electric space heaters. 6. Do not use hand-held cellular phones, portable phones, walki-talkies, or any other hand held transmitting devices. The problem is that the power radiated from the antenna is very close to the brain. If you must use any of these devices, limit your exposure to the minimum duration possible. Car phones that have an external antenna are usually okay because the occupants are shielded by the metal of the car. 7. Avoid prolonged exposure to all plug-in type electric motors. These produce extraordinarily high magnetic fields for several feet. Bedside electric clocks should be removed since they emit strong magnetic fields near your brain while you sleep. (Digital or battery operated clocks are not dangerous.) Run dishwashers only when you are not in the kitchen. 8. Turn all electric appliances "off" when not in use. 9. If you live near a radio or television transmitting tower, or near a high-voltage power line... move. Unfortunately, there is no cost-effective shielding for the strong electromagnetic fields emanating from these sources. -