Arthur Firstenberg, 59, has filed a lawsuit raising a claim of the still controversial theory of “electromagnetic sensitivities.” He demanded that his neighbor Raphaela Monribot limit her use of her computer, IPhone and other devices due to his sensitivities. He is now suing her for $530,000.
There remains a lack of scientific support for such claims, though a growing number of people complain of physical and neurological symptoms linked to electronics.
Firstenberg says that he experienced waves of nausea, vertigo, body aches, dizziness, heart arrhythmia and insomnia.
I do not see how such a claim can succeed given the ubiquitous use of such devices. Generally, nuisance-like claims exclude extrasensitive individuals. A victim must experience objectively unreasonable interference with the enjoyment of their property. In the case of Rogers v. Elliott, 15 N.E. 768 (Mass. 1888), the plaintiff suffered convulsions from hearing the bells of a Catholic Church each day. The bell ringer at the Church admitted that “he had no love for the plaintiff.” The court nevertheless rejected the claim stating
“If one’s right to use his property were to depend upon the effect of the use upon a person or peculiar temperament or disposition, or upon one suffering from an uncommon disease, the standard for measuring it would be so uncertain and fluctuating as to paralyze industrial enterprises.”
Battery claims are even more difficult since the use of such devices lacks intent to harm and are not viewed as an unreasonable or offensive touching.
The dispute will be heard in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Thus far, the weight of scientific opinion appears to run heavily against such claims. Lawsuits over power lines have been unsuccessful on analogous lawsuits in the past.
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This guy could’ve just run a band of aluminium tape around the top and bottom of his house wall and blocked all signals entering his home. Instead he went for the “rent-seeking” behaviour. A cool 1/2 million will tempt anybody I suppose.
Thanks AY…now I have a craft to keep the kiddies busy during the long weekend…..we are a crafty bunch here 🙂
While I do not agree with this sensitivity suit, I do have allergies to certain perfumes and scents. If I smell any of those “smells” I get a migraine. It can sometimes happen in just a few minutes of exposure. However, I can’t prevent people from wearing whatever they want and I certaintly should not have a cause of action against their taste in perfumes. I just have to remove myself from the situation.
You see the availability of tin is not so much anymore.
You know this could all have been avoided with the purchase of a very inexpensive tinfoil hat.
Hey, alla’ youse guys who are dissin’ Mr Firstenberg. I remember reading, 30? years ago in the San Fran Chronicle, a story about a crazy lady in Marin who claimed the perfume samples in her women’s magazines were making her sick. Which we would all recognize today as one of the first reports of the widely accepted “multiple chemical sensitivity”, a new condition compliments of our modern environment.
Per another comment, you can’t see germs either, and that doesn’t make THEM not real. Just because science can’t confirm this NOW doesn’t mean acknowledgement of it may not be common-place in 20 years!
I have a constructive (I think) suggestion for Mr Firstenberg. My technical expert (techie husband) suggests that a simple Faraday cage might solve many of his problems. That is, wrap the house in chicken-wire and ground it. I’m serious. Also, if this is Santa Fe, IF his house is stucco or has any type of plaster exterior finish, there’s probably already a layer of some metalic wire type stuff in the finish, eh — just ground it! (and do something about the roof…) Mr F could even test this theory with a few dollars worth of chicken wire from the Home Despot, enough to form a small enclosure to fit over/around his favorite chair — try it and see if it helps. Remembering that chicken wire comes in several sizes, so it might take some experimentation.
(Granted, Mr F is 3 years younger than I am, and may have been “scarred” by the Heinlein story as an impressionable youngster, 😎 … you know, the one with the “crazy” old guy who wouldn’t go outside without his lead-lined hat and duster? Written in the late 1940’s, I think!!!)
“If you’ve made your beanie properly you shouldn’t be hearing the voices anymore – ”
dammit
In the old days, before graphical user interfaces, we would call this a “terminal disease!” 🙂
Sorry AY, I’d love to help, but I don’t do quantum…
I wonder if you put 3 points on the hat if it would be too much of a triangulation and that the gamma rays would circulate rather than bounce to the next hat wearer.
Would someone check this quantum theory out for me. It may be a way to harness those rays for some productive purpose. What do you think?
http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/how-to-make-your-tinfoil-hat/
Please remember this was thought of before the bagger, Tea baggers that is. Well the first thing you know ole Ay’s a millionaire
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE NOT FIGURED THIS OUT. IT IS STILL A JOKE, A STAB AT HUMOR, SOMETHING TO LAUGH AT UNLESS OF COURSE YOU ARE THE ONE WEARING THE TIN FOIL HAT. THEN MY APOLOGY’S AHEAD OF TIME, BECAUSE I AM SMIRKING AT THE THOUGHT OF YOU WEARING THIS. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT PLEASE CALL YOUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER OR SOMEONE THAT WILL LISTEN TO YOU OR AT LEAST SOMEONE THAT WILL ANSWER THE PHONE REALIZE THAT IT IS YOU AND PLACE IT DOWN WHILE YOU ARE TALKING AND COME BACK IN AN HOUR AND REALIZE THAT YOU HAVEN’T TAKEN A BREATH YET AND SAY SOMETHING LIKE UH HU AND WALK AWAY AGAIN. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
BUT THEN AGAIN MEDICAL CARE PROVIDERS ARE AWAITING YOUR CALL. THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU. IF YOU HAVE MISPLACE THE NUMBER HERE IS IT A NUMBER TO CALL A FRIEND 413-497-0025. AGAIN IF YOU ARE STILL WEARING YOU HAT AND IT IS STILL ON, PLEASE CALL.
THIS AGAIN IS HUMOR AT YOU AND NOT AT YOUR INDIVIDUAL EXPENSE BUT FOR ALL THAT SUFFER.
THE ABOVE WAS MEANT ONLY AS HUMOR. INTERNATIONAL RATE DO APPLY.
The currently feline Woosty said:
“I’ll take my beanie off when those voices tell me to!”
According to the Wikipedia article you linked tinfoil hats “also serve to attempt to limit the transmission of voices directly into the brain.”
If you’ve made your beanie properly you shouldn’t be hearing the voices anymore – you should check out the site AY linked immediately to determine where your headgear construction went awry…
Its called DDT. Good shit man..
I wonder if he has a reaction when she sprays for bugs … the creepy, crawly kind.
Well, I am offended. First of all, it’s an “Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie” (AFDB). Secondly,
“During the Cold War, electromagnetic hearing was clinically studied in the United States for applications including covert message transmission and use as a non-lethal weapon. As a declassified National Ground Intelligence Center document points out:
It may be useful to provide a disruptive condition to a person not aware of the technology. Not only might it be disruptive to the sense of hearing, it could be psychologically devastating if one suddenly heard “voices within one’s head”.[8] ” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_foil_hat
These studies were supported by our tax dollars and I for 1 ain’t gonna argue with our goverment. T’aint no reason to disagree withem. Course I don’t intend to be nekkid to these airwaves any moren I’d stand in front of a speeding tank!
I’ll take my beanie off when those voices tell me to!
AY,
Good show. Not only funny, but informative for the crafts oriented in the audience. Pardon me as on that note, I am off to argue with the electrician.
If you have unlimited long distance the number is a riot. It ends with an ad for ringers for cell phone. Just hang up.
He should have started with the star wars king himself. We have had more satellite installations since he was in office that in most recent history. The rays that emit off I imagine can affect some people. So everyone get ready and protect yourself.
How to Make Your Tinfoil Hat.
The society is taking new member applications as we spea.
http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/how-to-make-your-tinfoil-hat/
FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE NOT FIGURED THIS OUT. IT IS A JOKE, HUMOR, SOMETHING TO LAUGH AT UNLESS OF COURSE YOU ARE THE ONE WEARING THE TIN FOIL HAT. THEN MY APOLOGY’S AHEAD OF TIME. DO CALL YOU MEDICAL CARE PROVIDER. THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU IF NOT HERE IS A NUMBER TO CALL 413-497-0025. IF YOUR HAT IS STILL ON, PLEASE CALL. THIS AGAIN IS HUMOR AT AND NOT AT YOUR INDIVIDUAL EXPENSE BUT FOR ALL THAT SUFFER.
Arthur Firstenberg, 59, hasn’t yet discovered the cost-effectiveness of Stannic-Membrane Cranial Shielding.
This man could be very handy when it comes to finding a wifi hotspot in rural areas.
I’m sensitive to bad facial hair choices.
Perhaps I’ll sue my neighbor because his bad 70’s style cop mustache offends my delicate nature.