[Ti] Laptop Health Warning!

[luke]

On Saturday, November 23, 2002, at 02:38  PM, MBurke6225 at aol.com wrote:

>  But we end users often misuse products

this is true - yet it can be abused to take the responsibility of the 
company and put it on the customer...  In this line of thinking we find 
Cigarette companies who fault the customer - it tells you right on the 
package that it is bad for you - does Philip Morris (sp?) sell products 
for the end-purpose of harming people's health?  no they do it for 
MONEY.  people just happen to be harmed in the process - not PM's 
problem until the legal system hits them...  It sounds like a person 
whom many would hold to be 'sane' (maybe by measuring sanity in profit) 
.  A Cigarette company manufactures a product that is KNOWN to be 
harmful and actually spends millions to market it to people...  This is 
America - where money rules.   If it isn't illegal yet, then the 
companies can still do it.   The other side of the tracks is companies 
who's specialty is, say, electronics...  electronics - NOT health...  
of life-science...  A computer company is not concerned w/ health...  
and NEVER is until the legal system begins to hold them liable - 
through financial penalties...  THEN after some health effect starts to 
have an impact on their BOTTOM-LINE - and only AFTER - do they become 
concerned about 'health'...  the health of their corporate entity...  
they, of course, do not design the product with the intent to harm - 
but even on the playground kids know that if you hurt someone 
unintentionally - you still hurt them and are responsible.

> causing ourselves harm because either a) we aren't using our heads or 
> b) if there was a problem
> there would be a warning because we expect the experts who built it to 
> know
> what they are doing.   No designer should be held responsible for 
> product
> liability when the product safety at release date upheld the then 
> current
> scientific standards for safety.

it's funny that the laws are set up to protect the companies rather 
than the human beings...  once again money over people.  how very 
Corporate.

> Current scientific thought is uncertain about electromagnetic force 
> effects
> on physiology,

uncertain about the negative effects and to what degree.  but i think 
science can be a bit more certain about non-naturally-occuring emf 
sources NOT having POSITIVE health benefits...  How upsidedown is the 
thinking?

> and the ever shifting standards reflect that uncertainty.

man's standards?  or the standards that nature requires?

>   Until science finds the causal focus -  with anything electronic we 
> should
> just exercise discretion.

discretion requires foresight.  in most cases we seem to proceed then 
look back in hindsight and say, "whoops, this or that was bad for us."  
Discretion seems more like don't do it.

i wonder, if one were held liable legally, in the future, for giving a 
recommendation like that, if one would still give the recommendation.  
by your recommendation, are you saying that people should or shouldn't, 
or are you saying that they ...?

The companies should be responsible.  period.  the end user nearly  
NEVER has the resources to research for themselves (discreetly) the 
whole thing.  does your neighbor two doors down have what it takes to 
do modern extensive conclusive research into the effects of cell phones 
on human health? money? time? equipment? education? etc...  NO.  The 
researchers who are devising the devices do.  and they don't care if it 
has minor ill-effects on your health big or small... they just make it 
work - because the next model year is here and nobody's buying the old 
one anymore...  and we are creating ads to make people want the new 
stuff... so that the people at the computer and cellphone factories can 
still have their jobs... and so next years profits will be high enough 
for the stockholders... etc...  extrapolate.


>    It could be nothing or it could be an atomic bullet.

great name for a neo-cyber-fantasy novel...  =)

>  Anyway, a laptop is not meant to be a lap warmer that's why we have
> dogs.


Heh...


Hey,  all in the pursuit of good conversation, fun, and the search for 
further enlightenment,
Luke Mazzeri

For an evening of thought-provoking background music...

                                        etyrnal.muzik
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                              etyrnal at ameritech.net