What's New Robert L. Park 2 JuL 2010

WHAT'S NEW  Robert L. Park   Friday, 2 July 2010   Washington, DC

1. CELL PHONES: INTENSITY OF RADIATION SHOULDN'T BE CONFUSED WITH ENERGY.
Public understanding of electromagnetic radiation seems to be about 700=20
years behind the times.  So I have taken ample literary license in tellin=
g=20
the story of the Siege of Calais in 1346. It illustrates the distinction=20
between the intensity of electromagnetic radiation and the energy of=20
photons.  The English King, Edward III, alluded to earlier royal-bedroom=20
diplomacy in claiming to be King of France as well as England.  Under=20
French rules, however, sleeping around was no big deal and the French Kin=
g,=20
Philip, refused to give his crown to Edward.  However, Edward had five=20
times as many men as Philip; so he ordered the entire army to assemble on=
=20
the Dover cliffs and throw stones at France.  That is, the "intensity" of=
=20
the bombardment was very high.  The closest point was Calais.  The shore =
in=20
Calais is indeed littered with rocks even today.  But are these English=20
rocks thrown by Edward=92s men, or indigenous French rocks?  English=20
geologists have launched a ten year study of the rocks to find out. =20
Kinesiologists say it's impossible to throw a rock 34 kilometers. That is=
,=20
the "energy" was much too low to reach Calais.

2. MAUREEN DOWD:  "ARE CELLS THE NEW CIGARETTES?,"  SHE ASKS.
In her New York Times column last Friday, Dowd took the cell phone/cancer=
=20
issue to a whole new level of ignorance.  She askes if technological=20
advances "are really time bombs?"  Provocative question, but why would sh=
e=20
include cigarettes?  Tobacco wasn=92t developed, it was "borrowed" from=20
primitive tribes about 400 years ago. The only "advance" has been to prov=
e=20
scientifically that tobacco is harmful, leading to widespread bans and=20
warnings. With the decline in smoking, life expectancy in the most advanc=
ed=20
nations has risen to above 80, twice what it is in less developed=20
countries. So what is the time bomb she talks about?  Like rocks thrown a=
t=20
Calais from Dover, microwaves are far below the cancer energy threshold. =
=20
That threshold lies at the extreme blue/ultraviolet end of the visible=20
spectrum.  That's why you don't want to spend as much time in the sun as =
I=20
did, and certainly don't want to use a tanning salon. Your cell phone is=20
rude and intrusive and a hazard if used on the road, but it won't cause=20
cancer.  Why has the media consistently failed to explain this simple fac=
t=20
is a mystery.=20

3. CLIMATE GATE: PENN STATE CLEARS MICHAEL MANN OF SOMETHING.
The allegations arose following the hacking of private e-mails at the=20
University of East Anglia in the UK.  It seemed to be a case of arresting=
=20
the victim.  A single line, stated out of context, sounded like something=
=20
it wasn't.=20

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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