A: Cell phones are more of an annoyance than anything else. If people didn't have them shoved up to their ears for hours on end every day - even talking in restaurants and in restrooms! - then there wouldn't be any cause for alarm. But my opinion on the use of cell phones doesn't answer the safety question. Could they cause brain tumors? "Maybe" is the best answer I have. I've read the studies, and both sides have convincing arguments. The reality is that cancer can take decades to develop, and with cell phones being a recent phenomenon, it's just too soon to tell. Still, cell phones do emit radiation, and if you'd rather play it safe "just in case," there are a few steps you can take to limit your exposure. You might want to pass these tips along to your kids - and grandkids - as well. Use the speakerphone function on your cell phone. It's the most logical - and inexpensive - solution, since it gets the phone and everything related to it away from your head. Of course, the downside is that if you have a cheap phone, you might not be able to hear the person on the other end too well. So let's look at a few other options… Use a Bluetooth earpiece. You've probably seen these fancy new-fangled contraptions people clip onto their ears. It still emits some radiation, but the experts say that it's 100-times less than the phone itself. If you can handle looking like you're talking to yourself while you're walking down the street, this could be a good option for you. Get a ferrite bead. A lot of people use wired headsets, but wire itself still carries some radiation. When you clip a ferrite bead onto the wire, the bead itself absorbs the radiation. Get a different phone. Some phones have more radiation than others. To check the specific absorption rate (SAR) or your phone, go to www.CNET.com. And, of course, the best solution of all is just not to use the darned things. | 
