Is Chlorine really that hazardous to our cardiovascular system?

My health which had been pretty bad since Aug 2008 and actually improved vastly over the past two months when I started taking Nattokinase which apparently seemed to be unclogging whatever is clogging my arteries.

I have been monitoring my BP quite religiously and it somehow pointed to a possible culprit … which is swimming in a chlorinated pool.

Why is it so.  Well to cut a long story short, when my health deteriorated, I started to spend more time swimming, thinking that maybe, it was the running that affected my spinal column.

But over time, it seemed that when I stayed away from the pool, my BP return to normalcy and the past week, despite taking natto, my BP was not too optimal (not that I am a hypochondriac, but like they say, a fool wonders,  a wise one asks).

So, in particularly when I am doing the freestyle (frontcrawl) and inadvertently drink some pool water, I will find my BP higher than normal and at first I thought it could be the neck contortion and twisting (to breathe) may be a factor.  Yes, it was, but probably lesser over time as my swimming gets better and I drink less pool waters.

But what I want to say, is that there are really articles out in the internet pointing to the fact, that over exposure to chlorinated waters can lead to health impairment.   In fact, those articles seemed to be quite plausible or even more informative than what we get from so-called health professionals who often seemed to be so-lacking in overall assimilation of fact or fallacies from all sources ..  often with a very myopic mind (as they do interfere with their business and of course, their earnings)

From what I read, it seemed that most of the so-called cholesterol problem is due to the fact that chlorine (whether from the tap or swimming pool) is major contributor to damage of the inner lining of blood vessels and heart.

According to a Dr. Price and other health researchers, chlorine creates lesions inside the blood vessels, which then is plugged with the repair material that the body normally uses; cholesterol.

Dr. Joseph Price, a medical doctor, wrote a fascinating book in the late 1960’s entitled, Coronaries/Cholesterol/Chlorine. He states, “The basic cause of athereosclerosis, heart attacks  and most forms of strokes is chlorine. The chlorine contained in processed water.”  (link)

Another plausible site is that one.  (link)

Earlier, I was quite dismissive about this finding (not theory!).  However, over a period of a year of swimming, almost fanatically, I now begin to think there are some truths to it.

So, I guess I have to go easy on chlorine and its related family of halides like iodine, bromine and fluorine etc.  They are pretty reactive.

I am not sure if over the years, the use of chlorine in swimming pool had increased (for health sake?) but my body really reeked with chlorine even for a 15-minute session.  Maybe the health authorities could look into it and establish (better still, do a proper statistic count) for those who “suddenly” derived heart or cardiovascular problems and whether there is any direct link to consumption of chlorinated waters (water cooler, swimming pool, or even too much floridated mouthwash etc).  I mean the halides connections.

As I write this, it occur to me that there were many so-called healthy sports personnel who died while spending time and tirelessly train, whether for glory or for country etc.

I remember, there was this CEO who training tirelessly in a swimming pool for his participation in a triathlon swimming event just a few months ago and passed away while swimming.  Not sure, if it was the real event that killed him, or was it the plaque buildup while swimming in an perhaps “overly” chlorinated pool that cause numerous lesion to be formed in his body (aided by the calcium intake)  (another link)

Maybe there should be a real study on the effect of chlorination and whether are there any better alternative.  For a start, most Singaporean will not go to the swimming pools rather than the sea, given the pollution publicity and spate of drowning cases.

I also wonder if those staying in condominium are more prone to cardiovascular diseases.  It the swimming pool a major contributor and if so, are there any relation to the severity of the pool chlorination.  Is there really a standard to abide to and how seriously are they abided to anyway since the machinery and pump are often subjected to malfunctions.

I still think swimming is a good sport.. but maybe swimming in a lake or perhaps an ozonised pool is a better option.  Otherwise, if there is no choice but to swim in a chlorinated pool, you should consider taking antioxidant to counter the ill effects.

We should also strive to protect those who train hard for the country.  I am not one of them but I do have some intuitions.  Because I can sense.

Separately, for those trying hard to have children, this site “Quips and Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility do list avoiding chlorine and ammonia as a factor.    No harm trying or at least try not to drink straight out from a water cooler or tap.  Try boiled water.

Be back in a few months time for some reality check.  In the mean time,  I should do more jogging and gym workout.

Cheers

Mikey

 

 

Brain damage at High Altitude. Becareful!

For those who goes for high altitude training and comes home feeling strange … well it is because your brain could have been severely damaged.

Well, according to this article,  “Into Thin Air: Mountain Climbing Kills Brain Cells“  The neural cost of high-altitude mountaineering: by R. Douglas Fields, the findings are not too “elevating” either:

“Neurologist Nicolás Fayed and his colleagues in Zaragoza, Spain, performed MRI brain scans on 35 climbers (12 professionals and 23 amateurs) who had returned from high-altitude expeditions, including 13 who had attempted Everest. They found brain damage in virtually every Everest climber but also in many climbers of lesser peaks who returned unaware that they had injured their brain. It seems that climbers of high mountains, whether weekend warrior or seasoned professional, face returning from the high peaks with a brain that is not in the same condition it was in beforehand.”  (link)

So sometimes when we say this guy who had gone for high-altitude training is out of his mind, is, actually quite true.  So that is why those in fighting in the high-altitude mountainous regions are doing it almost autonomously may be out of sheer madness or simply a numbed skull.

So, my advice to those who either volunteer or got volunteered to do high altitude training to get enough equilibrium in term of atmospheric pressure to prevent fluids from leaking out of their brain (not sure if this is reversible by drinking lots of water, as certain health official seemed to state this whenever fluid or electrolytes are lost).  So sad.

For those into high altitude parachuting, maybe the aircraft cabin should open at the very last minute as opposed to prolonged period of hatch opening “to acclimatise” , so as to avoid too much fluid leaking from your brain.  It is rather similar to a diver surfacing rapidly and exeperiencing the “divers bend” of gaseous bubbling out of your bloodstream.  Something like opening a can of gassy (carbonated) drink with bubbles bubbling out and especially even so if you shake the can.  Thus vigorous movement like inside a plane at high-altitude (non-pressurized) will perhaps cause more bubbling and brain fluid leaking than you can take, and maybe this could be disastrous if the brain “blank out” during a parachute jump for example.   I remember when I was a Juzhaigou nature reserve in Szechuan, in 2006, at about 3.5km altitude, we were told to move slowly to prevent altitude sickness.  The younger ones, usually the gung-ho type would do otherwise.   Perhaps there is a common wisdom to that.  Even the sherpas guides move at a leisurely pace.  Less physical activities at high-altitude and pressure equilibrium whenever possible to protect your brain…  unless you do not intend to use after them after the adventure or mis-adventure.  Likewise, cold weather will constrict your blood vessels and your heart pumps harder.  Recently a guy went running at 10 degree celcius after arriving from a tropical country and suffered a heart attack.  Again, proper attire and equipment are needed to remain healthy in different climate and atmospheric pressure.   So the word “acclimatisation” should be factored in properly.   Staying too long in such unnecessary “acclimatisation” for stupid reasons,  without proper attire and equipment, deteriorates both your performance and health.

I think this is a rather commonsense approach.  Do reproach me if you think this is wrong. Do a brain-scan first.

Take Care!

Mikey

Looking for Water on the Moon? What’s the real deal?

NASA is not getting more and more ridiculous.  In fact what they are doing make sense.   At least to some weirdo powerful figure or organisation out there.   Some say is a splinter group in a powerful country with great military might (almost like a GI Joe command) is gathering momentum to “save” the earth by destroying those that they see as “evil” or not their kind.  This is dangerous and evil in itself.    After all the world is being destroyed from all the power struggles where oil had commanded a lucrative lifestyle that who would want to dispose of to other better energy alternatives than do not provide the same lifestyles currently enjoyed by the “minorities”.

The bombardment of the moon for water actually cater to various interest groups to promote their self interest.  For one, the militaries around the world would be interested to see how accuracy a bomb could be delivered by satellite that almost looks like a metorite falling from space.  Wow! that would be great.  Anyway, so many internet website and news thought this could be a weapon test anyway  (link).  Falling from space, of course, these bombs could be rendered radioactive from “space”. …. so we have to watch out for future space falling objects besides those obsolete satellites that are suppose to disintegrate upon entering the atmosphere.

So if there are water on the moon, certain loony organization (probably the startrek die-hard fan0 would probably want to live there by firstly destroying the earth and which they had been doing diligently so over the years whether directly or indirectly.

The recent series of typhoons and earthquakes are evident of “indiscriminate” undersea oil drillings that warm the seawater, intensifying the speed of wind over warm surface water to reach their full gale force. Likewise, the undersea oil drilling, which had been increased with the call for more and larger oil-drilling ships had led to greater rupture of the earth surface.  Of course, being underwater, who can detect these undoings.  It is so easy to deploy and  hide a submersible like those we see in the National Geographic shows.  While we marvel and get transfixed at the undersea creatures and even urchins doing it, the drillings goes on quietly in the background.

The latest “Taboo II” show on OKTO channel last week feature of transgender bender issues that continually helped the populace to be remain transfixed on these issues while the actual world power struggle easily slip into the background.  We should sympathise and not exploit these people.  In a normal circumstance, it doesn’t mean anything.  In Thailand, they are everywhere but unfortunately that particular show which featured transgender people from Samao happens to so coincidentally “coincide” with the gigantic earthquake and tsunami which hit Samao island  a week ago   I am not sure if it was “timed” with a “natural” disaster but it sure  gives credence or rather more resolute for people doing other things like, maybe quake generation, in the form of more powerful undersea explosion in the guise of oil exploration but back in their the “affirmation” to rid the world of such people but which would actually benefit the others, like oil companies to move oil deposits from region to region via the bernoilli effect and etc .   Here we are in the country, trying to give everyone a decent chance to living and yet due to the perceived wealth, it also attracted alot of different groups especially extremists who would use the media to propagate their “demented” view for wanting of ensure that their “specialization” remain viable and employable for ulterior motives.  Thus there would be more and more spins to ensure their relevancy.

OKTO show may have certain ideas to do certain shows, maybe to do good but  unfortunately there are probably other evil-intentions and hidden agendas which is not so apparent to the masses. Not many people read widely nowadays  or what they read are written by “uneducated” people anyway.  Alternative views and readings are not really encourage either.  This is our undoings.

Anyway, who care? … afterall, everyone is mostly only concern about the livelihood and the current, sorry, i mean continually world recession continue to blackmail people to do things against their conscience to exploit people different from them whether real or perceived; in fact; those who are really far more superior than them and could help them get out of the present predicament.  It is akin to a pack of wolves attacking a rabiit.  I try not to use the world “sheep” for it conjure other meaning to different groups too that affirm to the use of “natural” disaster to destroy or enslave people.  If the Philippines were serious in getting their country of their poverty cycle they should hire MM Lee, at least, as a consultant  to run the country.  But this is perhaps only a dream since their dead-lock bureaucracy would ensure that there would be not way out.  No offense to the Pinoy please!  We care about your country people.

So like the 70’s  science-fiction TV series Space: 1999 where in the pilot episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the moon explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocked the moon out of its orbit and sending it and the 311 inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha hurtling uncontrollably into outer space.

So maybe we could store nuclear waste on the moon in the future but not really feasible given the fact the sometimes the rockets could disintegrate upon launching and thus littering the earth with radioactive waste.  But to knock or move  the moon slightly out of its orbit may actually seemed feasible with powerful nuclear explosion and thus generating greater and higher tidal seasons and flooding etc to influence the global population demographics .    Anyway, the rate of polar cap melting is already accelerating at enormous speed partly from oil exploration and partly from opening of polar route for naval navigation for both military strategists (submarine navigation beneath the ice) and also as an alternative oil transportation route.  Of course, these could be hasten for those cult organisation hoping to see the world ends even quicker for their own salvation.

So like what Naom Chomsky said we are indeed culpable of our actions .  However, most of the time we are just helpless and simply dull our senses or to attack the “helpless” to feel good ourselves or simply to feed ourselves.  It is as simple as that.

Not really.  The typhoons and earthquakes backlashes will set us back manifolds.  The Chile earthquake of 9.5 Richter in 1960…

Take Care!

Mikey

Check your coffee maker please!

This morning, I told my wife that I would be making gourmet coffee which I had bought from a friend for charity sale.   I had eagerly anticipating to savcur the fine gourmet coffee and started to find where  I had stashed my old coffee maker.  In fact, I have two coffee maker: one using the paper filter  and another using the metal filter.  Carine had place the paper filter one onto the kitchen table top but I preferred to use the metal filter since they would be less inconvenient and found in most cafes in our country. 

However, before using the old coffee make (which I had last used  a year ago) when my health sort of deteriorated for unknown reasons, and was stashed away, I decided to clean the utensil before making a good cuppa.  Having cleaned the rusty metal holder (to hold the stainless steel filter), I proceed to make a cup of “freshly brewed” plain water (without the coffee powder) to see if there are any dirt or rust coming out from the internal water heater which we could not reach or see in using such utensils.

Whenthe first cup of super-heated boiled water emerged from the filter, I was aghast to see so much particles residing at the bottom of my cup.

Having pour away much of the water, if you look closely, you can find all sort of particles, ranging from rust to metal flaks from coatings that had came off during the thermal processes.   I tried a second cup and again, I detected not only the rust and scales but also the metal flaks most like  from the deteriorating thermal housing or the metal filter holder.

Imaging having all these in our stomach.  No wonder there are some much stomach cancer around.  It is often not only the food but also the utensils that we use and the cooking processes that goes with it.  If  I had not inspected the coffee make and checking the residue using plain water, I would not be able to detect the deteriorated conditions of aging utensils that deplete their coated metals onto our food intake.  This also goes to unsafe coating used in our wok and other cooking utensils that raves about their non-stick capabilities.  But how long would their non-stick material remain in those pans and pots and end up in our stomach.  Is there any local authoritative voice out there to educate the masses for this.  Looks like we are more focus on the business end like providing cancer care when preventive medicine would be a better solution in the first place.

So for this morning, I have to shelf my plans to enjoy a simple home-brew and  we end up buying a cup of coffee from the coffee shop below our flat, using the traditional cotton filter.

We should always ensure that the coffee maker that we use are of better quality with metal coatings that do not comes off easily.  Maybe the cheaper ones are really made of inferior material or that there wasn’t really a expiry date for this sort of utensils or any utensils at all.  Not even a simple health warning.

So the question, now is how do we know whether that coffee maker you have in your office for private or mass usages are safe indeed.  Likewise, the preference for using metal filters in the popular cafe instead of the traditional socks (cotton filter) is also something to think about.

I am glad that those traditional coffee makers are still around providing us with more choices to brew a fine and healthy cup of coffee.

I may also consider using the simple stainless steel percolators  like the Vietnamese.

So all you coffee connoisseur out there, do give a thought about the utensils you are using for your next brew.

Cheers!

Mikey

Please extend Yellow line safety distance at open MRT station platform now

Again and again we read of people, especially the elderly who accidently fall from the open MRT platform onto the tracks. Some survive while others could have sustained internal injuries given the height.  Today (21 Sep 2009), there is another incident. A 61-YEAR-OLD man fell onto the MRT tracks at the Dover station on Sunday morning after suffering a dizzy spell but he was pulled to safety by SMRT staff after commuters raised the alarm. (link)

So rather than to wait in anticipation and trepidation for the phased installations of barriers at the various open platforms, let’s have some interim measures.  Why not simply just move the safety Yellow Line further back from its present “unsafe” safety distance.  It must have been designed by some dim-witted engineer or perhaps even relegated to some outsourced contractor to decide where to paint the Yellow safety line.

Maybe one of those high and mighty MRT official should do a simple experiment, that is to drink a few glasses of alcoholic  drinks or even some medications prescribed by the GP for flu or cough and try to stay balanced near the Yellow line.

Of course, those high and mighty MRT personnel, especially the design engineers or architects who probably take the MRT once in a while for showmanship can always say: “Why these stupid elderly stand so near the Yellow line when they are unwell or have taken some medication.  So stupid!”

Of course, these high and mighty officials do not realise that many of the MRT seats inside the train had been removed to ensure both viability (not to be construed as profitability) to herd people from point A to point B.

Of course, these elderly people have to stay put near to the Yellow Line to ensure that they can be the first in to find the already dwindling seats available for them.  So even if they are not well they have to persist in doing so and the Yellow line being just half-a-step from the track becomes a death trap for these “slowly-dementia-lised people”.

I always tell my kids to use their common sense and stay away from the Yellow line especially during rush hours when any pushing and shoving can make anyone lose their balance and fall onto the track.  The is simply no space to accommodate anyone falling, whether be from dizziness or shoving.   The mindless babbling from the MRT control stations actually contribute to the dizziness.

I have earlier wrote about the Yellow safety line in Tokyo, Japan is further away.

However, I guess some wise ass would probably search for some obscure or remote places where the Yellow linescloser to the track so as to vindicate themselves from any their  “mindless” design.  So childish indeed.

For commuters, I can only say:

Take Care

Mikey

Previous posts:

A.  Metal Railing at MRT Platform to prevent accidental falling (25 Mar 2009)

B.  So the Japan MRT yellow safety line is further back than ours!!!! (26 Apr 2009)

Many Plastic Shoes Toxic – Swedish Study

Hi.  If you have trouble conceiving, I may be of help.  Well, you see, a Swedish study have found that many plastic shoes, or should I say, sandals, contains toxic material that affect your health:

In its study titled “Chemicals Up Close“, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SNCC) found “disturbing concentrations” of harmful chemicals in a variety of plastic-based flip-flops, sandals, clogs, and other shoes.

The SNCC tested 27 shoes sent by partner groups from the Philippines, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Tanzania, Sweden, and Uganda; and found high levels of phthalates in 17 shoes.

Phthalates (pronounced “thalates”) are chemicals used to soften polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.

The chemicals are widely believed to cause health complications like infertility and testicular problems among men, endocrine disorders, birth problems, and even cancer. (link) (link) (pdf)

I actually found this article from a Philippines news website, that also pointed to some unsafe plastic shoes in the Philippines. besides the other mostly improvished countries mentioned.  This is responsible and objective journalism.

Anyway, we have our powerful Environment and Health ministries to keep an vigilant eye on these IMPORTANT issues, like environment and health.  I can bet my last dollar that they will do something about it like giving the public more information, for a start, and then maybe a list, telling which product is contains possible harmful substance, in accordance to the free trade agreements.

I never knew that plastic shoes could be family planning tool!  I always thought it could be the water supply, food products and maybe improper GMA food.  Anyway, most of the plastic sandals are giving the next generation, a flat feet with their flat design.  There goes our running ability as well.

Good Grief!

Now, where are my old rubber sandals ?

Mikey

Stop probation motorcyclists from carrying pillion passengers.

As our local population continue to shrink, our kids becoms more precious by default.  I came from a big family, two brother and three sisters, and I am the only one riding a motorbike for twenty over years.   So by default, in the earlier generations, the loss of a child, is perhaps, less heart-wrenching  as compared to the present days when the lost of a teenage through bike riding (whether the actual rider or pillion passneger) could mean the loss of their entire linear heritage.

So in that sense, the child becomes more precious nowadays.

So, the authority should rethink again about certain policies when safety comes to their mind (if and when).   I have my own thrills and spills when it comes to riding a bike, especially during my early days when there was a tendency to live on the fringe.  One would pull the bike a bit lower when cornering even at low speed resulting in a scrapped knee that was almost like a proud battle scar.  Performing emergency brake like what was taught in school, was also a folly on hindsight in many situations, when it could have been avoid with foresight, peripheral vision and, of course, lower and varying speed to adjust to traffic and weather conditions.  Even the decision to use two-finger or four-finger for braking is also important given the tendency to lock the front-wheel when using all four-finger as taught in the schools.

Most of these are often hard-knock lessons learned on the real road!

With my years of experience on the road, I can tell you that many younsters nowadays would immediately ferry their best friends on their bike just after obtaining a probationary riding license or worst still after getting their first bike (maybe two years after passing their riding test).  This is most unwise thing to do so.  Their unwitting guinea pig friends would be most willing to be the pillion passenger.

Firstly, the newbie will have to content with the real road conditions where cars, buses and lorries do not give way to the so-called “2nd class” citizens riding a motorbike.  To follow the instructions as taught in the school, stay two or three car length away, is simply a nonexistence thing, since all void spaces would naturally be filled by another vehicle squeezing or intentionally swerving into that void space, whether you like it or not.

That is why many bikers are forced to straddle in-between lanes.  Not really by choice as many vehicles seemed to think so.  If you are straddled between the lanes, then you have to ride fast too since the bikers behind will “force” you to do so, as otherwise, you will have to go back onto a proper lane and get into the wrath of a proud car owner who thinks that you have to go back to the in-between lanes.  But it is good to know that the frail economy is making many proud car owners to ride bike and have a taste of their own medicine.

Even riding on the slow lane, we have to move aside to charging cement-mixers or over-loaded pickups or risk tail-gated unnecessarily with their headlight flashing impatiently.

Back to the subject title.  I sincerely ask the relevent authority to ban probation riders from pillioning their friends.   If these “kids” continue to died on the road, who will take care of their aging parents, if you are to consider from the economic point of view.  You may think that I am quite heartless, but I am writing this, because only then MAY the relevant authorities start to consider some form of action, when they see the cents and $$$$$.  Do they really care about your kid if it make no $$$ and cents to some of them?

For probation riders, trying to brake on the real road with vehicles driven by maniac four-wheeled vehicles is quite a challenge.  To do this with another pillion rider during their probation period and usually on a second-hand bike is many times worst off.

That is also why I refrain from pillioning my wife, especially when I have two kids to think of too.   Maybe the authorities should have another course for those intending to pillion rider to come back for lessons six months down the road or when they get their new bike (which ever is more relevant) to ensure that their riding skills have been honed properly with experience garner from the schools of hard-knocks (the real world!)

Take Care!

A parting song: (link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myJDOWh0_eU

Mikey

Common-cents to install mouth-rinsing basins by the poolside showers.

It is just a simple solution to save the cost of cleaning and filtering debris from the public swimming pools.  I have just written a letter to the relevant authorities and I am keepig my finger-crossed that at least this simple suggestion can be implemented.   Having less pollutants in the pool also means use of less resources and energy to clean the pool.  So there are savings indeed.

Recently there are so much talk about pool etiquette.  Perhaps the authorities should provide some amenities for the public to do so.  For instance, the life-guard should be seated next to a perhaps, redesigned pool entry to check or remind people to shower and rinse their mouths before entering the pool.  Likewise, the swimming instructors could do their part since they are the most authoritative personnel to tell the young about social-civic consciousness. This should be part of their (the kids) theory exams, if any, for their progressive  swimming tests which is presently only based on practical.

I also wondered why some swimming pools used by many are still without any proper sun shelter (not even a canvas) to allow better utilisation during the “blazing hot” afternoon period.  Thus many people are now forced to congregate and swim in the early morning and evening.  This not only create a jam-packed pool with its associate hygiene concerns but also a waste of energy and resources with uneven distribution of usage.   Even swimming instructors could get more students, especially adults during lunch-time, if the pool conditions, especially if some form of sun-shelter are provided.

This is actually common-cents!

Mikey

Twittering should be received in batch mode for health concerns

I understand that many people are jumping onto the Twitter fad to get instant message fast. So it also meant that people would be constantly receiving SMS, maybe every few seconds.  Of course, telcos are most please with it from a business point of view.  Imagine this constant radiation smog going around you plus those around you too.

This effectively create a radiation smog akin to a slow cooker.

Maybe the telcos (telecommunications companies) could help by:

a.  Sending out twitter messages in batches instead of individual SMSes.  To save cost and cut down on cumulative radiation especially in crowded places.

b.  Sending to a relay terminal at crowded places and then via re-sent via other safer electronic means like Blue-tooth etc.   However for blue-tooth dissemination, there are other consideration like:

“…However, the Bluetooth signal at 1 milliwatt is extremely low, compared to some cell phones, which may emit up to 3 watts. The signal is also transmitted throughout a space and not in a single, powerful beam. Bluetooth radiation is considered far less bothersome than cell phone radiation.”  (link1) (link2)

So this also effectively spread the cumulative radiation for those not using this technology.  Maybe the proper authorities could do some maths and provide the public with better health information besides some rubbish or damage control that comes much later in an aftermath scenario.

Maybe there should be a radiation indicator like the weather.  Are we game for it?

Anyway, where can I buy a Radiation Detection Wrist Watch here? (link1) (link2)  Nice to have one.

Take Care!

Mikey

Should we dig our our own geothermal grave? (see updated addendum)

As we already know about the potential of geothermal triggered-quake and its related landslide with disastrous consequences as demonstrated in Java island recently (2 Sep 2009), we should not continue on our quest for this “natural” source of power from both the hotsprings in Sembawang (link) and also “another hot spring, such as the one at Pulau Tekong, a military training area” as suggested by an expert, in our rush for green energy without giving much thought.

Today another article from Straits Times (12 Sep 2009) ” Rumbling over Geothermal Plant” should make us sit up and pay attention to the potential destructive forces of tapping geothermal energy on mainland.  This is not to say that mining for oil is less destructive, but they are often at sea and their quakes are less quantifiable (so to speak).  Now we know why the middle east is just a massive desert where all their underground reservoir had been drained out.

We should be careful where our neighbours dig their geothermal wells that could extend the reaches of the “existing fault lines”.  This not only affect them but possibly in the near future (sooner than we think), those tremors could well reach our shores and are our buildings well bolstered to withstand simple tremors.  I am not joking either.

Anyway, the idea to dig small geothermal wells to release built-up pressure seemed plausible but not so for those in this business to dig wells.  However, for our region, we already have the gigantic vent in the form of the “ring of fire” via the various fault zone like Sunda, Sumatra buffered by the main islands too.  So to make smaller vents on the mainland itself is akin to extending those existing gigantic fault line and this looks pretty ridiculous to me.  These small geothermal wells could well, become a small volcanoes for obvious pressure outlets and subsequent bigger and bigger fissures and accompanying tremors whether controlled or not.  A man-made Krakatou in the making or perhaps a smaller mud-flow zone like in Surabaya. Why built many small  volcanoes when the existing underwater tectonic fault lines already serve a purpose.  Are we redirecting the pressure?

Take Care!

Mikey

My earlier postings:

a.  Yes. There will be more earthquakes and droughts in China (29 Aug 2009).

b.  Geothermal energy and earthquakes? (6 May 2009)

Addendum:

You may want to explore to this plausible reply to my query from another expert

djermano at 07:48 on May 19th, 2008

“The idea is that we go deeper than the water tables, to be able to allow heat to escape and other gases that need to be relieved to accomplish the task. I am not saying to just let it constantly vent, but to have controlled levels of escape. Even if pressure is allowed to come from below, and then to reroute the pressure back to another level would be beneficial to removing pressure build ups.

Gas can be captured to analyze what type of gas it is, and then deal with it. Certainly killing the entire population from earthquakes by doing nothing is far worse than drilling wells that would prevent earthquakes and also provide energy in the long term.
The fact that quakes were felt in Switzerland, and Germany is because they were starting to hit the spot where pressure could be released, but since they stopped and did not succeed in drilling through; the earthquake resulted. They therefore believe drilling further will cause more earthquakes and that is not true. They need to finish drilling because the end result is less pressure to cause the plates to shift. Sichuan has no Geothermal Installations, but are keyed for development.”

Drilling through rock is also relieving pressure, and things can move, but they settle down. The idea is getting through and deep enough to find the heat, so it can be relieved, or cooled so earthquakes don’t occur. Just like treating high blood pressure, we can’t feed medicine to dirt, but if we take out some of the blood, blood pressure is reduced, or take out some of the heat the pressure is reduced, and earthquakes prevented.
I will never believe Geothermal Drilling causes earthquakes, it is quite the opposite.   (link)

My Comments:  Since the discussion thread had been closed, I have sent another query to  djermano to verify his theory given the latest decision by German government officials to review the safety of a geothermal energy project that scientists say set off an earthquake last month (Aug 2009) shaking buildings and frightening many residents of this small city. The plant, built by German energy company Geox, extracts heat by drilling deep into the earth. Advocates of the method say it could greatly reduce the world’s dependence on fossil fuels by providing a vast supply of renewable energy.

My query sent on 13 Sep 2009 (0940hrs) is:

Reference: Rumblings over geothermal plant.  German govt to review safety of project after scientists link it to an earthquake last month  URL: http://www.straitstimes.com/World/Story/STIStory_428706.html?sunwMethod=GET
Do you think the German did not dig deep enough as you had suggested earlier and now too? How about the Java quake and landslide.  Did the geothermal project there contributed to the reverberations or released steam.  Do you seriously believe that the water table will remain intact with the fissuring going on below and could fissures they be control too.  Will the fault lines be extended too? How do you weigh the risks? Arable land for farming and water supply versus renewable energy.  The risk matrix doesn’t seem to tally too good either.

Mikey (13 Sep 2009) -

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My earlier post: Will Beijing succumb to Geothermal Quake too? (May 15, 2008)