09-11-2012, 03:34 AM
Yes: "smart meters" are bad, but not for the reasons given above.
Lots of modern technology uses and generates electromagnetic radiation, the most obvious being: tv, radio, microwave oven, computer, flourescent lights, inverter, solar charge controller, any kind of internal combustion engine, and of course any kind of phone (cell, cordless, hardline).
Some of this technology has been around for generations. It's entirely possible that it causes health problems for some people, and maybe there are even enough incidents to rise above the statistical background noise. (People who are really sensitive to EMF should either move to Amish country, or build their own off-grid house with a Faraday cage, same as you would avoid any other toxin that affects your health.)
However, some of this technology also collects and stores information about the user, which information is then data-mined by huge corporations which sell it for profit. Smart power meters are just "icing on the cake", another datapoint added to your profile.
The "inter-island undersea cable" madness has to stop, we're already subsidizing it through our "Federal Transit" dollars (every time you buy gas!), it doesn't need another subsidy from HELCO (higher prices everywhere, even if you're not their customer).
Lots of modern technology uses and generates electromagnetic radiation, the most obvious being: tv, radio, microwave oven, computer, flourescent lights, inverter, solar charge controller, any kind of internal combustion engine, and of course any kind of phone (cell, cordless, hardline).
Some of this technology has been around for generations. It's entirely possible that it causes health problems for some people, and maybe there are even enough incidents to rise above the statistical background noise. (People who are really sensitive to EMF should either move to Amish country, or build their own off-grid house with a Faraday cage, same as you would avoid any other toxin that affects your health.)
However, some of this technology also collects and stores information about the user, which information is then data-mined by huge corporations which sell it for profit. Smart power meters are just "icing on the cake", another datapoint added to your profile.
The "inter-island undersea cable" madness has to stop, we're already subsidizing it through our "Federal Transit" dollars (every time you buy gas!), it doesn't need another subsidy from HELCO (higher prices everywhere, even if you're not their customer).