From: quest@iowegia.uucp (Steve J. Quest)
Newsgroups: sci.physics
Subject: Re: History of AC vs DC Power >>THE TRUTH!<<  *=*
Keywords: alternating current, direct current
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 18:41:35 CST
Distribution: world
Organization: Iowegia Public Access Usenet/UUCP, Clive IA USA.

steve@pepe.aero.org (Steve Sedlacek) writes:

> A question came up at lunch yesterday:  Why is our power system completely
> AC?  What are the historical and physical factors which led to the present
> power grid?  I beleive there are some DC high power transmission lines in
> Europe.  A related question concerns the supposed effect of EMF on cancers,
> especially in children.  A new Swedish study apparently confirms a moderate
> correlation between living near high-power transmission lines and cancers.
> Possibly the static field of DC transmission would be "less damaging" than
> the fluctuating field from AC?  Again, what is the HISTORY and WHY should
> power transmission be AC (I assume it is more than just transformers to
> step voltage up and down being easy for AC).

Steve,

        We use AC power because you can transmit high voltage 
great distances, and with AC you can use a transformer to convert 
high voltage / low current to low voltage / high current for use 
in homes.  Otherwise power lines would have to be short, not over 
a few miles from the dynamo (generator).  As it is, we can 
transmit power across state lines!  AC is handy, and I believe it 
is healthy as well.  I experimented on developing chick embryos- 
subjecting them to emp and emw radiations at exactly 60 cycles, 
various voltage potentials.  No teratogenic or mutogenic effects 
were noted (they were healthy, even above expected).  This leads 
me to believe in "something else is afoot" technology.

        We know for a fact that there is a high rate of cancer 
among people who live under power lines.  Now comes MY explanation 
of this phenomenon.  Power lines are ugly, they do NOT add to 
property values.  When a power line goes up, people move away.  
The house is of low value now, and is disfavored by everyone- even 
to the people who buy it.  The people who DO buy these houses do 
so because they HAVE to, they are uneducated and poor.

        It is also a known fact that there is a high rate of 
cancer among uneducated and poor people.  The reason being, they 
simply do not have proper hygiene, sanitation, or eating habits.  
Often they smoke (higher percentage among the poor) and drink 
(same goes here too).  It is known that a combination of 
cigarettes and alcohol SUBSTANTIALLY increases your cancer risk.

        In light of this evidence, I still feel safe in front of 
my video display terminal- even tho I can measure the radiation 
that is dropped across my body with a scope.  Since it is still 
impossible to say WHAT caused the cancer in a subject, it may have 
been radon, smoking, work-related carcinogens, etc., doctors just 
have no way of knowing.  People who stay away from all forms of 
risk still get cancer, it is a gamble.  We do know for a fact that 
it is a total picture of risks (additive, not singular) that give 
rise to cancer related illness.  Normally healthy animals do not 
seem to have a risk when exposed to electromagnetic radiation.

        Maybe it is a combination of factors.  We don't know.

sq