- In last night’s update I included a letter from Andy Shadrack who wrote to the BCUC about the unfairness of people with legacy meters being charged $32.40 each month when their neighbours have their $$meters read manually. Some members have told me that they watch meter readers pass their homes, reading every $$meter on their street. The meter reader comes back on another day, requiring a separate trip, to read theirs. This is unfair and ridiculous. This has been going on ever since Dec. 2013 and who knows how much longer it will go on. Everyone who is in an area where smeters are manually read should write and demand a refund. If you don’t know if you are, I hope you will consider writing a letter like the one below.
- Some US military reports nearly 35 years ago confirmed the biological effects of exposure to microwave radiation. Some very interesting reading.
NASA Report, 1981
A NASA report published in April 1981, titled “Electromagnetic Field Interactions with the Human Body: Observed Effects and Theories,” discussed EMF and microwave RF radiation caused to humans. Effects of microwave radiation reported: headaches, sleep problems, neurological symptoms, cardiac symptoms, memory problems, increased cholesterol, gastritis, ulcers, increased fasting blood glucose, irritabiity, inability to concentrate, apprehension, and cataracts (clouding of posterior part of lens in those caused by microwave radiation instead of anterior clouding as seen with regular types). Information for the NASA report was collected from over 1,000 written sources that “included journals, conference proceedings, technical reports, books, abstracts, and news items,” http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19810017132.pdf Page 12 limits by country – Canada’s was 1000 microwatts per centimeter squared for most of the microwave range to which we were exposed, which remained unchanged for the most part until last year — 34 years with dramatically increased exposures by the public. Negative health effects noted arrange pg. 25+
Navy Report, 1971
On October 4, 1971, the Naval Medical Research Institute published a research report,“Bibliography of Reported Biological Phenomena (‘Effects’) and Clinical Manifestations Attributed to Microwave and Radio-Frequency Radiation,” which was a compilation of over 2000 references on the biological responses to RF microwave radiation. It lists well over 100 negative biological effects caused by RF microwave radiation – here’s a partial list from their report: corneal damage, tubular degeneration of testicles, brain heating, alteration of the diameter of blood vessels, liver enlargement, altered sex ratio of births, decreased fertility, sterility, altered fetal development, decreased lactation in nursing mothers, altered penal function, death, cranial nerve disorders, seizures, convulsions, depression, insomnia, hand tremors, chest pain, thrombosis, alteration in the rate of cellular division, anorexia, constipation, altered adrenal cortex activity, chromosome aberrations, tumors, altered orientation of animals, birds and fish, loss of hair, and sparking between dental fillings. http://www.magdahavas.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Navy_Radiowave_Brief.pdf
Air Force Report, 1994
A June 1994 US Air Force document, titled, “Radiofrequency/Microwave Radiation Biological Effects and Safety Standards: A Review,” acknowledges the non-thermal health effects. Stated in its abstract, “It is known that electromagnetic radiation has a biological effect on human tissue.” The introduction of the report states that “researchers have discovered a number of biological dysfunctions that can occur in living organisms” and that “exposure of the human body to RF/MW [radio frequency/microwave] radiation has many biological implications” that range from “innocuous sensation of warmth to serious physiological damage to the eye,” and added that “there is also evidence that RF/MW radiation can cause cancer.” Biological impacts: “damage to major organs, disruption of important biological processes, and the potential risk of cancer,” among many others which include “mutagenic effects,” “cardiovascular effects,” negative effects on chromosomes, and notes that “Soviet investigators claim that exposure to low-level radiation can induce serious CNS [central nervous system] dysfunctions.” http://www.emfacts.com/2014/09/us-air-force-rf-review-in-1988-acknowledges-non-thermal-biological-effects/ https://electroplague.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/rf-microwave-radiation-biological-effects-rome-labs.pdf
- Although Friday was the deadline for comments from interveners pertaining to the appeal of the BCUC’s rejection of my application to intervene, I have included a couple more letters written by members showing some of the many issues raised by those who wrote. Many thanks to all of you who did. It’s important for the BCUC to see that there are so many of us who feel strongly enough to voice concerns. As soon as I receive BCUC’s decision, I will share it in the update for the day.
- An analysis of the history in Ontario that has resulted in the financial cragmire that Hydro One is in. Much sounds like BC’s govt that prevented BCUC, the authority that exists to keep Hydro honest and responsible, from doing its job. What is surprising is that the author says that there was a full cost-benefit analysis of the $$meter program before the Liberals mandated it. Really? If this is true, I bet the analysis was based on fudged or inflated benefit figures and incomplete costs figures. For example, the 20 year lifespan for the smeters when it was well known in the industry that 10 years was closer.
http://www.torontosun.com/2016/01/16/why-hydro-costs-so-much
- An article in the Wall Street Journal reports that people are very concerned about invasion of privacy, wanting their homes to be private.
“The report revealed a gulf between the public and the tech industry, Mr. Rainie said, judging by the plethora of data-gathering gadgets on display at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. For instance, Nest seeks to connect items in the home–smart thermostats, light bulbs, garage doors and so on—into a system that would collect data to coordinate their operations; switching on lights, for instance, when the garage door indicates that an occupant has returned home in the evening.
The January 2016 report suggests that public attitudes could limit such plans.
The Internet of Things, a catch-all phrase for ordinary objects outfitted with communications and sensing capability, raised greater concern. Two-thirds of respondents said they would not be comfortable with an auto insurance company placing a tracking device in their car to monitor their speed and location in return for discounts that rewarded safe driving.
In another Internet of Things scenario, more than half of respondents deemed “unacceptable” the offer of a home sensor that could help them reduce their energy costs if it could monitor when people were at home and how they moved from room to room.
“Location information was uppermost in people’s minds,” Mr. Rainie said. “Cars and homes are, for many people, sanctuaries; places where they expect to be private, not monitored, and not have their personal information fed into a system.””
blogs.wsj.com/digits/2016/01/14/new-study-highlights-privacy-gap-between-consumers-and-tech-vendors/
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Letters:
From: John and Barb [mailto:jbwonderful@shaw.ca] check with John
Sent: January 15, 2016 1:36 PM
To: Patrick.wruck@bcuc.com; commission.secretary@bcuc.com
Cc: dsnoble@shaw.ca
Subject: Smart Meter Fire Review
Mr. Wruck,
I am writing to you regarding BCUC’s review of the fire hazard forced upon the citizens of BC from smart meters. Thanks to Ms. Noble’s dedicated work, on the behalf of myself and countless other citizens with common and strong concerns, I have been privy to the correspondence between Ms. Noble and yourself regarding this review. Given the seriousness of citizens homes being exposed to such a fire risk I must say I am appalled at the length of time it is taking yourself and BCUC to come to some resolve over this issue. I would surely hope it is not going to take loss of life to see some meaningful progress in the review MS. Noble has been waiting for. Any public outrage, should such an unfortunate event occur, would be wholly justified since you have had MS. Noble’s clear evidence of fire risk for six months now, plus more evidence during these last six months.
I would also hope that Ms. Hamilton would be assisting in expediting this review through any hurdles that BCUC or yourself may run into.
I ask that you please provide either the review or a meaningful update to Ms. Noble now. I would also ask for a meaningful and informative reply to myself and this email. Not to sound overly dramatic but the simple truth is lives, children, elderly and innocent citizens, are at risk now, all day every day and many citizens of BC would like to know what you are doing to protect us.
Sincerely, John Mansell
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From: X
Sent: January 15, 2016 6:46 PM
To: smartmeters@bchydro.com
Subject: FOI – # of Smart Meters being Manually Read
Dear Madam/Sir,
Under the FOI Act, please inform me of the following:
1) How many installed BC Hydro smart meters are being read manually, Residential numbers and Commercial numbers, in the Gulf Islands service area?
2) Why are these smart meters being manually read (i.e. opt-out choice, topography, or any other specific reason)?
3) How many analog/non-smart meters are still to be replaced with smart meters in the whole BC Hydro service area? Please indicate the geographical regions with numbers.
Thank-you.
X
Salt Spring Island, BC
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Date: January 15, 2016 12:14:23 PM PST
To: <commission.Secretary@bcuc.com>
Subject: Sharon Noble
To whom this should be directed to:
We wholeheartedly concur with Jerry Flynn’s comments on Sharon Noble’s position as ‘Intervenor’.
She has devoted so much time & effort trying to instill some logical sense in all of you on how pathetic BC Hydro has handled its customers relative to the SMeter rollout which has been essentially forced upon us without any respect for those of us who have electro hypersensitivities and for our right to privacy. The extortion fees for retaining our perfectly fine legacy analog meter is beyond shameless!
The entire program has been a fiasco from its inception! There are so many valid & factual reasons why the program needs to be terminated! Had you have done your homework you would have clearly seen that this program is riddled with flaws!
You just need to take some time to do your own unbiased research!
We are all receptive to new advances in technology, the key word being advanced however in this case there is nothing beneficial with this program other than for those who are making money off of it. There is no benefit in creating or escalating ill health, increasing our monthly costs and losing our privacy not to mention the causation of numerous house fires. It is your responsibility to oversee and to protect us from exactly that! Instead someone like Sharon Noble who has great integrity and is so knowledgeable regarding this ridiculous program is somehow being contained is just another reason why we have no faith or trust in your organization.
Fibre technology would have been far better! It was set in place and instead of using that perfectly fine technology it was replaced with total corruption.
I can’t believe that this is happening to our country!
There will be major fall-out from this. Correct the problem before it becomes worse than it already is! And allow Sharon Noble to remain as our Intervenor.
X
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Newsletter prepared by Sharon Noble
The cost of wireless convenience: EHS, infertility, cancer.