  A detailed search has been made for evidence of foreground contributions to
the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) WMAP, such foregrounds being related to
our Galaxy. We find remarkable results. On the largest angular scales we find
significant differences between the power in the fluctuations for positive and
negative Galactic latitudes and between the four Galactic Quadrants. There are
also differences between the power spectrum at latitudes within 10 deg of the
Plane and at higher latitudes. The `slope' of the power spectrum has similar
variations.
  In an effort to find the origin of these Galactic-style effects we have
examined the evidence from Galactic gamma rays, specifically from the EGRET
instrument. A correlation is found between gamma ray intensities and the CMB
and other cosmic ray indicators.
  Most of the large scale Galactic asymmetries (eg north, south difference and
Quadrant variations) have analogues in cosmic ray asymmetries and also in some
other Galactic properties, such as the column density of gas. Thus, it is
possible to hypothesise on direct cosmic ray-induced contributions, although it
may be that cosmic rays are simply the indicators of Galactic `conditions'
which are influencing the residual CMB fluctuations.
  Irrespective of the actual cause of the correlations we have endeavoured to
extrapolate to the situation where the residual foreground is minimised. The
effect on the usually-derived cosmological properties - universal matter
content, ionization, the tensor contribution, tilt and curvature - is briefly
examined.
