Nanny Bans Wireless

The truly remarkable thing about Nanny and her followers is that they are happy to make decisions, and act, on "faith based analysis" totally devoid of any scientific study or verifiable evidence.

That's the beauty of knowing that you are right, you never have to check the validity of your decision making. At this stage I could make a snide comment about President Bush's and Prime Minister Blair's Iraq "policy", but that would be a tad off topic.

Anyhoo, it seems that Nanny's followers are getting themselves into a right "two and eight" (rhyming slang for "state") over wireless networks.

It seems that some parents and teachers (remember Nanny comes in many forms; "Nanny is a Nanny does") are forcing some schools to dismantle wireless computer networks.

Why?

Well these people, despite having no hard scientific evidence, are of the belief that wireless networks pose a danger to their precious childrens' health.

The fear is that the low levels of microwave radiation emitted by the transmitters could be harmful, causing loss of concentration, headaches, fatigue, memory and behavioural problems and possibly cancer in the long term.

Nanny's followers lobbied hard at Prebendal School, in Chichester West Sussex, and have persuaded the headteacher, Tim Cannell, to remove the wireless network in October.

Mr Cannell said:

"We listened to the parents' views

and they were obviously very concerned.

We also did a lot of research.

The authorities say it's safe,

but there have been no long-term studies to prove this."

The key part being that there is no evidence to say that it is dangerous, yet they remove it anyway; a decision based purely on ignorance and fear.

Vivienne Baron, who is bringing up Sebastian, her 10 year old grandson, said:

"I did not want Sebastian exposed to a wireless computer network at school.

No real evidence has been produced

to prove that this new technology is safe in the long term.

Until it is, I think we should take a precautionary approach and use cabled systems."

How does she know that cable technology is safe?

How does she know that pc's are safe in the long term?

They have only been with us for 20 years or so, damage caused by serious long term exposure to pc's might not be evident for another 20 years or more.

You see folks, what we think of as safe is based more often than not on our prejudices and fears, rather than hard reliable scientific fact.

At Ysgol Pantycelyn, a comprehensive in Carmarthenshire, parents put paid to the wireless network there too.

I would make the following observations; based on my own prejudices, fears and ignorance:

• Were we to have had this fuss when fire was invented, we would still be eating raw meat and huddled together in animal skins. Fire is dangerous, it has a habit of burning things and killing people. Yet we have used it for thousands of years.



• I wonder if Sebastian's granny, or the parents of all the other "Sebastians" allow their sprogs to use mobile phones?
  
  I bet many of them do.
  
  Aren't these meant to be slightly dubious as well? Don't these emit low level microwave radiation?
  
  Do I smell the faint whiff of hypocrisy here?



• Do these same parents of "Sebastians" have pc's, wireless networks, tv's etc at home?
  
  I bet many do?
  
  Again, there is a whiff of hypocrisy in the air.

I wonder what the next panic will be about?

What do you think is dangerous and should be banned?

Remember folks, don't worry about using facts to justify your campaign or arguments; blind prejudice and ignorance is all we need in Nanny's Britain!