Patch Poll: Do You Think the Occupy Wall Street Movement Has the Potential to Change Public Policy?

The protesters sparked little media attention at first. But the Occupy Wall Street movement is growing, and spreading beyond New York to around the world and nearby, with Occupy Naperville.

Protesters call themselves the 99 percent because they believe the richest 1 percent of Americans do not pay their fair share in taxes. Supporters of the movement say they are upset the billions of dollars in bank bailouts doled out during the recession allowed banks to resume earning huge profits while average Americans have had no relief from high unemployment and job insecurity.

A recent CBS poll says 43 percent of Americans agree with the views of the movement.

Patch asks you: Do You Think the Occupy Wall Street Movement Has the Potential to Change Public Policy?

Last week's poll

The results of last week's question: How Afraid are You About Getting Cancer from Your Cellphone? shows there is confusion about the studies that have been conducted on the issue. The (unscientific, but intereresting) results were:

• A little. But I have not altered how I use my cellphone. 26  percent
• A lot. I do not place it to my ear. Rather I use a wireless headset or put calls on speaker. 19 percent
• Not at all. The studies are too many and too confusing. 54 percent

Some of the Patch readers who responded to the poll shared insightful comments.

Bob Gunnison said, "Come on! They said the same thing about cigarettes too when it was NEW and COOL to do........how many years later are they are stating what they always KNEW to be true. Don't be naive, just be smart and don't go crazy with cellphone use. Moderation is KEY here!"

Ken Kuchar added, "I agree with Bob—in San Francisco, cellphone manufacturers are required to put the amount of radiation emitted by their phones; I usually put [my] phone on speaker to diminish the risk. I also have seen reputable research showing a link between cellphone use and cancer."

Dave Peterson said, "Cellphones use radio frequencies in the lower end of the microwave band. The term 'microwave' may have been confusing. Microwave ovens use microwaves but so do microwave radio links, radar, police speed guns, modern mobile phones, etc. The energy of an electromagnetic wave (actually the energy of the photon) is proportional to the frequency of oscillation.

"As for things once thought unsafe, the horseless carriage was considered an affront to natural laws since man was not meant to travel faster than 12 mph."

His comments prompted Susan Carroll to reply: "Dave Peterson gives the best answer to debunk the 'cell phones cause cancer' theory. On the other hand, I would like to see a psychological study of never getting a break from your workplace now that they can reach you at any hour of the night or day."