Beyond Creativity

International EMF Conference Stavanger – Setting Healthier Guidance Levels

World’s leading experts of biological effects will gather in Stavanger, Norway. Norges Miljøvernforbund (Green Warriors of Norway) and Radiation Research Trust representatives have been working hard to arrange this conference.

The conference programme is truly interesting on Tuesday 17th November 2009.

After the official conference, experts like professor Carl Blackman, professor Martin Blank, professor Yuri Grigoriev (RNCNIRP), professor Devra Davis  & Co will continue defining new, biologically relevant guidance levels. These guidance-levels are for mobile phones, cell towers, powerlines and generally for existing and forthcoming technologies.

_{(I will be participating the conference, only).}

As you propably know, the current ICNIRP guidance levels  only protect from (acute) thermal effects.

The tricky question is: how to define new, biologically relevant guidance levels?

SIX STARTING POINTS:

Literature Review – Transmitters and Health

What are the health risks of transmitters? How is this issue addressed by the WHO (World Health Organisation)?

I looked at chronic, 24/7 exposure. So, I reviewed research papers focusing on:

-    Mobile phone base stations (cell towers) + TETRA

-    AM / FM Radio + Analog /digital TV masts + Radar

This review is available at:

http://www.uta.fi/~mikko.ahonen/riski-extra.htm

I listed research papers with both positive and negative findings. I also included occupational exposure data and nature related data.

(Photo: Ferihegy airport, Budapest, Hungary, July 2009. An observation: two children very close to antennas.)

Increased leukemia and lymphoma rates come up regularly in FM / AM Radio + Television transmitter research papers (8 out of 10 papers). Mobile phone base stations are a newer phenomenon and the symptoms and illnesses seem to be more versatile ranging from sleep problems to neurological illnesses and breast cancer ( 10 out of 13 papers indicated increased risk ). It is difficult to compare these papers with each other, because not every paper has radiation power density measurements included.

After all these findings, the WHO officially announces:

“Considering the very low exposure levels and research results collected to date, there is no convincing scientific evidence that the weak RF signals from base stations and wireless networks cause adverse health effects.“ .

Definitely, WHO International EMF Project folks are playing with the word ‘evidence’.

Mass-Customization MCPC2009 + EMF & Health Business in Drucker framework

The 5th World Conference on Mass Customization & Personalization (MCPC2009) will be arranged between 4th-8th October 2009 in Helsinki, Finland. This conference gathers together a nice mixture of people (architects, business executives, designers, artists, researchers, etc). What I like in this year's MCPC, is the ability to co-create and customise the actual conference with a toolkit! During the years, I have tried to stay tuned what is happening in this fascinating mass-customization scene [1].

If you are curious about this mass-customisation and personalisation area, I recommend the blog of professor Frank Piller. Frank always has interesting things going on and he is good in telling business stories :-)

My presentation and paper in this year's MCPC2009 Conference is called:

"Sources of Innovative Opportunity and Mass-Customization
 – An Analysis of EMF & Health Business Area"

Abstract (updated): "Systematic innovation means monitoring changes in existing business structures and early entrepreneurs often take risks in entering a new business area. Therefore, the Seven Sources of Innovative Opportunity, an innovation monitoring framework from Peter Drucker is presented. Within this paper we investigate how this framework is related to mass-customization and personalization. First we test this framework in real context by evaluating three health product companies and their innovation activities. These companies operate in a new business area called the EMF (Electro-Magnetic Fields) and Health. Recently, several scientists, governments and the European Parliament have emphasized precautionary principle and indicated health risks in mobile phones, base stations and other technologies. At the same time authorities and standard setting bodies (like ICNIRP, IEEE and WHO) have not officially recognized such risks. This tension provides a starting point for the evaluation. At the end of this paper we discuss how crowdsourcing and mass-customization toolkits could be utilized more effectively by entrepreneurs. Open innovation paradigm and the challenges in knowledge brokering in R&D are also introduced."

Update 4th October  2009: A draft of my paper in PDF format can be found here. The presentation in the MCPC2009 will take place on Tuesday, 6th of October 2009, starting at 13:45.

Update 19th October 2009: An interesting concept was mentioned in the MCPC2009: Continuous Innovation. This happened in Joseph Pine 's presentation:"Future of mass customization". I need to focus on this in the future.

Comments about the paper or about the conference are welcome!

Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern + How Susceptible Are Genes to Mobile Phone Radiation?

A new report was released today by the International EMF Collaborative entitled:

"Cellphones and Brain Tumors:

15 Reasons for Concern

Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone"

Conclusions:

• There is a risk of brain tumors from cellphone use

• Telecom funded studies underestimate the risk of brain tumors

• Children have larger risks than adults for brain tumors.

Since I was one of the signatories, I would like to see the message of the report relayd first and foremost to families with children:

Please, Check the Personal Actions at Page 31.  Inform Families and Friends Close to You. 

Signatories have drafted the following actions to be implemented globally:

Little Breakthrough, Perhaps? In Finland and Hopefully in USA

Today, 24th August 2009, the major newspaper in Finland, Helsingin Sanomat, published a small article about mobile phones and health risks of children ("Lasten kännykän käyttö on terveysriski"). This article was written by professor Osmo Hänninen, doctor Seppo Kinnunen and myself. The newspaper did not publish the link to references, so here they are with the article in Finnish.

Update 12th September 2009: Now an English version available: "Mobile phone use of children is a health risk".

Even the Ilta-Sanomat  ("The Sun of Finland") made a news item "Asiantuntijat varoittavat kännykän käytön vaaroista= Experts warn about the risks of mobile phone use" of our little article. Maybe (finally) Finnish parents will stop buying mobile phones to their little children. In this Crazy Mobile Land service providers are actively marketing mobile phones to children in every newspaper, even in the Donald Duck (Aku Ankka) magazine :-( School start is a special campaign time with Habbo Hotel figures integrated to cell phone commercials (1). Really irresponsible behaviour... 

My American friends have been working hard to organise a meeting in Washington: "Expert Conference on Cell Phones and Health: Science and Public Policy Questions" ,  which will be held between September 13-15 in 2009 at the Credit Union House. 

Update 15th September 2009:

The actual Hearing:

"Health Effects of Cell Phone Use"

started on Monday 14th September 2009 at 2:00PM US Eastern time and was broadcasted live on C-SPAN 3 and it can be viewed at:

http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=288879-1 , please, click the Flash video icon.

(Link updated).

Special thanks to senator Arlen Specter. I hope that it will be a success and US representatives will (finally) start funding independent health studies of mobile phones.

I am just tired of corruption and misconduct in this area, that is why I wish more independent research.  _{To my Finnish readers: Allekirjoitapa seuraava adressi: "Matkapuhelinteollisuuden edustajat pois terveystutkimushankkeista", että saadaan tutkimuksen näkökulma esille.}  

France just made a nice move, when it is preparing to make scientific boards really scientific without industry representatives.  I hope that other nations will follow.

Robert O. Becker: Cross Currents + Off-line June-August 2009

For all medical doctors, engineers, researchers and (e)inventors I have a book recommendation:

  Cross Currents from Dr Robert O. Becker. 

Dr Becker early understood  that a human being is an electromagnetic entity. The first edition of this book was written in 1990 and now it is more actual than ever.

For example: The healing of wounds and bones is based on electric currents inside of us. Our cells communicate with electricity. Our body functions and rhythms (including circadian) are based on changes in natural(!) electromagnetic fields. Becker also showed how acupuncture and many other alternative treatments work.

Artificial electromagnetic fields and mobile devices/basestations/powerlines distort this communication inside of us. Being concerned about life on earth, Becker tried to inform military and industry about safer technologies (without immediate success).

A nice short review of this book is written by Andrew Eriksen. Still, remember, by reading the whole book you will get the Heureka! moments ;-)

 

In case you have difficulties in getting the 'Cross Currents' book, try Robert O. Becker and Gary Selden’s earlier book Body Electric in eBook, PDF-format.

Update 18th June 2009: Talking about environment: The chapter called Maxwell's Hammer is worth reading. I hope that soon the environmental discussion will focus on the bombardment of ionosphere + abnormal growth/changes caused by microwaves (before it is too late). Hopefully Green Party(ies) and Greenpeace will finally get it: climate change is NOT only about increased CO2-levels. Constantly growing powerline grid and dense base station network has an effect on weather, nature and ionosphere.. Not to mention the risky HAARP installation in Alaska :-( (Update 26th July 2009: The following document of professor Ulrich Warnke describes those mechanisms of harm in detail : "Bees, Birds and Mankind - Destroying Nature by Electrosmog")

Becker was twice nominated for Nobel prize in medicine. For very good reasons.

It would be great to hear your comments about Becker’s books.

+++

I will be off-line writing in June, July and August. Time to ... read books and write. So, please, in the meanwhile do not expect quick answers from me ;-)

Moscow - Return to Russia's Creative Dynamo + RNCNIRP

20 years ago, in 1989, I visited previous time Moscow. It was a summer full of strong emotions, youth and great adventure in Soviet time. Now, when I returned in May 2009 the landmarks like Moscow State University (Московский государственный университет имени М.В.Ломоносова) were still in my mental map and my expectations from the new visit were high. To understand Russia, you just need to understand the Russian soul [душа], music and culture. I am slowly learning these elements and perhaps my Carelian roots help me in this process ;-) So, I had a feeling like coming home :)

During my life I have had the honour to have many excellent mentors and hosts. This visit was no exception. Professor in physiology, Osmo Hänninen originally invited me to Moscow in the Environmental BioIndicators conference and the Kotelevtsev family was a great host on site.

Update 25th May 2009: My presentation in the Environmental BioIndicators conference partly focused on:

A) Abnormal growth caused by RF radiation in plants, insects, animals and humans

B) The consequences of ultra-high guidance levels in fostering abnormal growth and other side effects

C) Siting and configuration of base stations and other wireless technologies to minimise damage

D) Interplay of chemicals and RF radiation (and how little we know about it and why for example EU's NORMAN-network and ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) should focus on it).

So, I didn't choose the easiest topic and the knowledgeable audience provided me important feedback and new insights.

Meeting with professor Yuri Grigoriev (Юрий  Григорьев) was  memorable, we talked (in Russian), eat and drink for many hours. As the head of Russian National Committee of Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (RNCNIRP) Yuri has amazing experience:
- Being a medical officer already in the 2nd World War
- Developing artificial, natural-like electro-magnetic fields to space ships (Sputnik-programme)
- Being one of the first doctors/professors in Chernobyl in 1986 to investigate the catastrophic situation
- Understanding early how the effects of non-ionising radiation are not just ... thermal [Russian research about biological effects[1], Update: see also examples in English : [1],[ 2],[3],[4] . Update 29th July 2009: Check those reports RNCNIRP provided to WHO [1],[2]. Already in 2003 RNCNIRP commented that ICNIRP guidance levels are out of date and children and pregnant women [1],[2] should be protected.

Update: Many times during our discussion Yuri emphasised that children's risks are much greater when it comes to microwave and especially mobile phone exposure [1],[2].

So, we had both serious and non-serious topics.

Disruptive Innovation - Some Quotations

How would you describe a disruptive innovation? I am not satisfied with Christensen's explanation or Dogbert's way of pursuing :) ,so, I am looking for new explanations.

I admire the work of Joseph Schumpeter and his ideas about the 'creative destruction'. According to Schumpeter: 'creative destruction causes continuous progress and improves the standards of living for everyone'. Well, isn't that a bit too optimistic?

Meta-Model of Creativity

Creativity or creativities? That is what Robert J. Sternberg asked in 2005.

Defining creativity is a difficult task. Sternberg suggests to start this by asking... more questions:

Starting year 2009 - Book and music recommendations

Thank you for reading this blog and commenting it in 2008. 

I will start year 2009 with  ... music and book to recommendations :-)

MUSIC

Seal has a new CD, Soul. It is all about soul music. Soul is very much about interpretation and 'feeling'.

As an (amateur) singer, I find German Lied songs challenging and enjoyable. Propably the best master is Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Still,  Ian Bostridge is really good as well. I recommend his Schumann Liederkreis & Dichterliebe -album.

I am also famous for my 'bad' taste. I am so glad that lovely Britney Spears is performing again :-) I have not yet listened her newest album, Circus, but I still dare to recommend it. The Wizard of Sweden, Max Martin, writes usually her best songs. If you don't like Britney, at least her performance does not leave anyone ... indifferent ;-) Lately, she has been kind in promoting Finnish Sauna for free :-) (What is the real Finnish sauna? An orthodox explanation.).

BOOKS

Bodil Jönsson: Ten Thoughts about Time. Some years ago, this small and simple book changed radically ways how I consider time and spent time . Nowadays:
-  I don't wear a watch ("Western people are slaves of digital time")
-  I am not reachable and available all the time ("We should have time to "stop and stare")

... and my wife is desperate ;-)

I remember when I was in 2003 walking with professor Mike Sharples and his father Alan on a hill, north of Birmingham, UK. In the highest spot, Mike took ...  a kite from his bag. I was surprised and Alan commented "Every true scientist has a kite". In winter time, you can not always fly a kite.  Therefore, I recommend this Kid's Paper Airplane Book. You can always fly a paper airplane indoors ;-) I am so clumsy with miniature models, so this is good building exercise as well. And it always nice to build together with my children :-)

This current recession can be (perhaps) explained with terms of Peter Drucker?! His book 'Innovation and Entrepreneurship' could explain the Dot.com -bubble 15 years ahead in 1985.

- "Systematic innovation therefore consists in the purposeful and organized search for changes, and in the systematic analysis of the opportunities such changes might offer for economic and social innovation. "

His '7 sources of innovative opportunity' are always worth reading and thinking ;-)

FUTURE

As you might have noticed, I am (we are) working with disruptive innovation and paradigm shift ala Kuhn. Year 2009 will be interesting, even revolutionary. Stay tuned!

But now: Happy New Year!

    Mikko