Slashdot Mirror


City-Provided Wi-Fi Rejected Over "Health Concerns"

exphose writes "A small, hippie-friendly town in northern California, Sebastopol, had made an agreement with Sonic.net to provide free Wi-Fi across the downtown area. However, not everyone in town was pleased with the arrangement. According to Sebastopol Mayor Craig Litwin, citizens had voiced concerns that 'create enough suspicion that there may be a health hazard' and so they canceled their contract with Sonic.net. Some more details are at the blog of Sonic.net's CEO."

20 of 360 comments (clear)

  1. Take off and nuke the site from orbit. by tgd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its the only way to be sure.

  2. I don't want to have to wear a tin foil hat by sleeponthemic · · Score: 2, Funny

    When I'm downloading naked pictures of Bea Arthur

    --
    I record my sleeptalking
    1. Re:I don't want to have to wear a tin foil hat by HairyCanary · · Score: 2, Funny

      Don't mix up aluminum foil and tin foil, they are very different things...

  3. Stupid hippies by Nursie · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, something with far less power than a cell phone system and you've bought the hype.

    Quick, lets go sell them some electromagnetic wave blocking paint, we could make a fortune.

    1. Re:Stupid hippies by RHSC · · Score: 4, Funny

      hippies don't have money. It smells too much like progress and not enough like hippy ass.

  4. Electrickery next by gsslay · · Score: 4, Funny

    What about that Electrickery, man? No one knows how it really works, and it, like, leaks out of the cables if you don't plug something in at the socket. And then you have pools of it lying about your floor, except you can't see it. And everyone knows things you can't see are evil, man.

    Turn that shit off back at the town limits. It's the only way to be safe.

    Now where's my tinfoil bandana?

  5. Re:FM radio? TV? by Swampash · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well hey, lets just get rid of microwave ovens, radio stations, television signals and police radios.

    You're thinking too small.

    Hint: massive thermonuclear reaction taking place above our heads every day, subjecting the Earth and everything on it to almost inconceivably powerful doses of electromagnetic energy.

  6. Re:well, fortunately by CRCulver · · Score: 2, Funny

    However, running aircrack-ng may result in your neighbour coming over to beat the crap out of you.

  7. legal ramifications by publicopinion5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is there any way Sonic.net could sue these guys for backing out of an agreement for made-up reasons? This seems like someone not paying their bills because a unicorn told them to.

  8. Re:FM radio? TV? by Kamineko · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hint: massive thermonuclear reaction taking place above our heads every day, subjecting the Earth and everything on it to almost inconceivably powerful doses of electromagnetic energy.
    You reckless supervillain bastard! Do you think you could create something like that and get away with it? HMM?
  9. Re:Lay off the weed, man! by Wellington+Grey · · Score: 5, Funny

    WiFi signals are as harmless as any other radio signal

    It's not the WiFi you should worry about, but the routers...

  10. The Truth About Wireless Devices by Guysmiley777 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Truth About Wireless Devices

    As told by Wellington Grey.

    --
    Coding with assembly is like playing with Legos. Coding an application in assembly is like building a car with Legos.
  11. California by BenjiTheGreat98 · · Score: 3, Funny

    This reminds me of a canister of chemicals I saw at one point:

    "May cause cancer in California"

    --
    :wq
  12. Re:Lay off the weed, man! by PoliTech · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's not only the routers you should worry about, but also Dihydrogen Monoxide exposure... Oh the humanity!

  13. Re:from the blog by tonique · · Score: 2, Funny

    Just don't try to think about all the irradiation cell phones have received from *us*!

  14. "Health Concerns" mask the hidden agenda by wtansill · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wi-fi interferes with the crystals and prevents one from being able to channel the spirits. That's the real issue that no one wants to talk about.

    --
    The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power. -- Daniel Webster
  15. Re:Lay off the weed, man! by polar+red · · Score: 3, Funny

    "don't worry, asbestos is perfectly safe"

    --
    Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
  16. Re:Teach her some physics. by baboo_jackal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, I don't mind if they don't want town-wide wireless internet access. I think the internet will be a better place if these types of people *don't* have access.

  17. Stupid luddites! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I hear cameras are also banned within the city limits, lest you snap a photo of the townspeople and steal their souls.

  18. Re:Teach her some physics. by severoon · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think I know where you're going with this argument, but no one has ever jumped so many homeless people on a skateboard. It's reckless of you to ask—it's impossible...no, I won't do it!

    --
    but have you considered the following argument: shut up.