At Washingtonian magazine, a piece by Michael Gaynor about Green Bank, West Virginia, where wi-fi and cellular service are illegal–along with other items you might not imagine, even spark plugs.
Sounds nuts, but that’s because it’s the site of the gigantic Robert C. Byrd radio telescope, which scans space for signals that even a weak AM radio broadcast could overpower.
As noted in this previous Boing Boing post, the town is a haven for “electrosensitives.” These are people who believe that wireless signals make them sick. Even in Green Bank, which maintains quiet by federal mandate, their beliefs clash with locals. The local sheriffs have had to intervene in disputes, including physical confrontations, between longtimers and the newcomers who demand that local businesses uninstall fluorescent lights, and want a church to stop using wireless microphones.
Teens in Green Bank have “found a work-around,” and are creating rogue WiFi networks that allow them to text-message and use social media services like Facebook and Snapchat.
“The Town Without Wi-Fi” [washingtonian.com]
[IMAGES: Top, Washingtonian; Below, Reuters. Thanks, Andrew!]