New Worries

It seems to me there’s always something new to worry about. Not so long ago, we were told that talking on a cellular phone, i,e. with the unit close to the face for any length of time, could cause brain tumors. That could be the reason texting seems to have become the preferred mean of communication, especially among the young. People who use cell phones all the time in their work solved the problem with one of the hands-off options.

            So, while we may have thought we were out of danger, we are not according to the latest research. In Berkley, California, the bedrock of change—that community was the first to ban smoking in restaurants, for example—comes a warning about carrying cell phones close to the skin. By doing so we could be putting ourselves at risk of being exposed to level of radiation above what has been determined to be the safe.

            So, what is the solution? According to those who studied the problem, we should be carrying cell phones at least 5/8 of an inch, or 15 mm, away from the body. So, not in a shirt or pants pocket or in a bra as some women do.

            It seems most things we do in this world have a negative side of some sort, so having to be careful how we handle mobile phones is not an exception, rather something to keep in mind. It’s only a matter of paying attention to warnings. Just like when a doctor warns a patient not to mix some medication with alcohol, we have to get used to the fact that new means of communication also come with caveats.

            One of them is certainly that we should make certain that mobile units do not end up in the washing machine along with clothing!