"Flammable Ice" Threatens World

This is an undated handout image showing the burning of an artificial lump of methane hydrate, in Tokyo, provided to the media on April 20, 2007. Source: Japan Oil Gas and Metals National Cooperation (JOGMEC) via Bloomberg News

From http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aiUsVKaqDA7g


Japan Mines `Flammable Ice,' Flirts With Environmental Disaster By Shigeru Sato

Dec. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Fifty-five million years ago the world's climate was catastrophically changed when volcanoes melted natural gas frozen in the seabed. Now Japan plans to drill for the same icy crystals to end its reliance on imported energy.

Billions of tons of methane hydrate, frozen chunks of chemical-laced water buried in sediment some 3,000 feet under the Pacific Ocean floor, may help Japan win energy independence from the Middle East and Indonesia. Japanese engineers have found enough ``flammable ice'' to meet its gas use demands for 14 years. The trick is extracting it without damaging the environment.

Japan is joining the U.S. and Canada in test drilling for methane even as scientists express concerns about any uncontrolled release of the frozen chemical. Some researchers blame the greenhouse gas for triggering a global firestorm that helped wipe out the dinosaurs.

``Methane hydrate was a key cause of the global warming that led to one of the largest extinctions in the earth's history,'' says Ryo Matsumoto, a University of Tokyo scientist who has studied frozen gas since 1987. ``By making the best use of our wisdom, knowledge and technology, we should be able to utilize this wisely as a new energy.''

If successful, the gas drilling project could help Japan reduce a liquefied natural gas import bill that last year was 2.66 trillion yen ($23.3 billion). The country's LNG imports totaled 62.2 million metric tons, equivalent to 3.03 trillion cubic feet, according to the Ministry of Finance's trade report.

``We are closely watching the government's methane hydrate project, expecting some day to start receiving gas via pipelines from the continental shelf,'' says Toshiharu Okui, deputy general manager of gas resources at Tokyo Gas Co., the country's largest distributor of natural gas.

500 Meters Thick

Trapped within sheets of ice up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) thick is an estimated 40 trillion cubic feet of crystalline methane encased in an ocean trench called the Nankai Trough, 30 miles (50 kilometers) off the coast of the main Honshu Island.

``Reserves aren't as much as Saudi Arabia's or Russia's, but they will contribute to us cutting our heavy dependence on imports,'' says Yoshifumi Hashiba, deputy director of the trade ministry's petroleum and natural gas division.

Exploiting the Nankai Trough depends on developing technical know-how through a test project in Canada's frozen north, says Kenichi Yokoi, team leader of the methane hydrate research project at state-controlled Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp., known as Jogmec.

``Test production in Canada's permafrost is the key to provide clues and determine how methane hydrate can be tapped for mass production,'' says Yokoi. ``Conventional drilling technologies won't be applied for methane hydrate exploitation.''

Test Drilling Results

The most efficient method has proved ``depressurizing,'' which requires deep bore holes being drilled into the ice sheets. Pressure within the chamber is reduced by a pump, causing gaseous methane to separate from the water and ascend to the well head.

A first round of drilling was completed in April by Jogmec and the Canadian government and a second set of tests are scheduled for early 2008. The two governments won't disclose results due to a confidentiality agreement, Jogmec's Yokoi says.

Commercial exploitation of methane hydrate is economically viable when oil trades above $54 a barrel, Japan's government estimated two years ago. The trade ministry is targeting 2016 to start production, corresponding with the scheduled completion of the 16-year government-led test project.

While governments are attracted to an abundant clean fuel, drilling risks disturbing the seabed and triggering an uncontrolled release, says Matsumoto of the University of Tokyo.

``A mass release of methane into the sea and the atmosphere is a risk for global warming,'' he says. ``Massive landslides at the ocean floor must be avoided when drilling at the Nankai Trough.''

Undersea Landslides

Undersea landsides triggered by volcanoes that occurred more than fifty million years ago resulted in the release of methane hydrate, contributing to global warming that lasted tens of thousands of years, says Matsumoto.

Japan's government is promising rigorous environmental controls with gas-leakage detectors and monitoring systems in place before the scheduled test drilling in as early as 2009.

``Energy security and environment protection cannot be apart from each other,'' says the trade ministry's Hashiba. ``We need a comprehensive assessment.''

Among other concerns are that the separation of sea water and colder fresh water will cause ocean temperatures in the Nankai Trough to fall, says Hashiba. The area is a habitat for red sea bream, a fish delicacy.

Fishing Bank Threat

``We're worried that drilling work might harm our fishing banks out there and eventually reduce our catches of red sea bream,'' says Hironori Watanabe at the Katsuura City fishery association.

A bigger worry is evidence that the undersea ice may already be melting. In September, Matsumoto joined a research party in the Sea of Japan to follow up on a 2006 discovery by his university colleagues of methane gas bubbles rising from the ocean floor.

``It's ironically recurring,'' Matsumoto says. ``Extinction of living organisms has repeatedly taken place in the earth's history, and dead bodies were accumulated in soil and under the sea bed, and turned to oil and natural gas.''

To contact the reporters on this story: Shigeru Sato in Tokyo at ssato10@bloomberg.net ;

Last Updated: December 25, 2007 11:13 EST

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

On our free day at the World Universities Peace Invitational Debates being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, our wonderful host Dr. Omar Salahuddin bin Abdullah offered to take some of us (Bojana, Piyanart, his wife Inie and myself) out in to the country, up off of the humid and hot lowlands of Malaysia, and into the cool and breezy Cameron Highlands section of Malaysia. I was anxious to go, because this would probably be one of my last chances to enjoy a cool climate during my visit here.

We drive out of Kuala Lumpur and through the incredible traffic and onto the broad and modern motorway leading out of the city. There was god conversation and good company. Omar, a refugee from Cornwall who converted to Islam and came to Malaysia many years ago, has a car he calls the "Blue Meanie" that has huge tires, custom-made bumpers (he designed them himself) and other custom elements (huge natural wood gearshift handle). He is seen as the "father" of debate in Asia and has become a close friend through the years. His wife, Inie, is knowledgeable and entertaining in her discussion of events and Malaysia. Pinayart is a professor and debate promoter from Thailand, and she has been a lot of fun to get to know. Bojana, of course, is always insightful and an incredible debate organizer. We joked and talked and mused and commented all through the day, going from serious to silly, as befits a day off.

We drive beyond the Cameron highlands, actually, so that we can enter it from one side, traverse its length, and then come out the other side. It is a large a interesting highlands, with steep mountains often with huge granite outcrops rising high in the air. We passed a huge waterfall on the way in that popped out of a mighty mountainside. We bean to climb, and we saw considerable evidence of the original people of this land (that is what they call themselves, the "Original People" and their settlements. As we arrived at the top we began to see wide arrays of greenhouses, as apparently this is the vegetable garden of Malaysia, with good temperature, rich soil and lots of natural moisture.

Near a large golf course in one of the valleys we came to a place called the Old Smokehouse, and old Tudor style house that has become a swanky country inn and a wonderful place to stop for tea and scones. It us surrounded by a lovely garden with a great mix of European and Asian plants and flowers. The tea and scones were tasty and the company continued to be jolly.

We drove down into a valley and went through a small town (the name means "flat ground") and stopped at a small set of shops. Even though it was a Tuesday there seemed to be a lot of activity and some interesting products (rock melons, bee pollen, flowers and plants, fresh vegetables and a lot more) and it was fun to browse. I even bought a small rubber toy for my living room table at home.

From there we went on to a lovely garden center that featured strawberries (very good) and a vast array of lovely plants. they had a wonderful collection of exotic cacti, and Omar and Inie had a lot of fun picking out 18 little fellows to start their cactus garden. Bojana bought some fresh and dried strawberries (I liked the dried ones best) and then we were back on the road.

We drove high into the mountains to the Boh Tea Plantation, located on a saddleback between two mountains. The tea covers the hillsides in a lush covering that looks like a strange sort of moss. It is cool but very moist. When we get to the top we can see that clouds moving from one side of the mountain to the other. Tea and scones are once again tasty and fresh. It is a wonderful vista as we can see the sun coming out on one side of the mountain.

We finish our topographical appreciation and head down the mountain. We drive through small villages with many shops. There are a lot of Land Rovers here, many of them quite old but in excellent condition.

We stop along the road to try some fresh durrian. Durrian is a fruit that is loved by Malaysians but can be a problem for tourists. The problem is that it stinks. I mean, it does. However, the tale is that the fruit itself is quite delicious. Omar encourages us to give it a try. He tells us that Oscar Wilde described durrian as like eating "custard in a toilet." It does have a remarkable flavor, very much like creamy custard, and it does have a bad smell. However, once the flavor hits the smell dopes not seem to be much of a problem. I liked it. Bojana especially liked it, and we all agreed that it was good. We got a good washing up when it was over and hit the road again.

We drove down the mountain and back in the traffic of Kuala Lumpur. We all felt very lucky that we were able to share this most delightful day trip.

Glow in the Dark Cloned Cats

From http://inventorspot.com/articles/scientists_create_glowinthedark__9191

Scientists Create Glow-In-The-Dark Cats
by Lisa Zyga, December 12, 2007

They're cute, white, and fluffy - and they glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet light. The cats are actually clones. They're also the first cats to be cloned with a manipulated fluorescence protein gene.

The researchers hope that the procedure could help develop treatments for human genetic diseases.

The scientists, from Gyeongsang National University in South Korea, explained that they used the skin cells of the mother cat for cloning. To modify its genes, they inserted a virus in the skin cells, which were then transplanted into the mother's womb. Four Turkish Angora kittens were born in January, but two died during a caesarean section. The two living cats, now nearly a year old, weigh about 6-7pounds.

By demonstrating that it's possible to clone an animal with a manipulated gene, the research could help scientists better understand human genetic diseases. For example, scientists may be able to reproduce cloned animals suffering from the same diseases as humans. Cats have about 250 of the same kinds of genetic diseases that affect humans.

The ability to clone genetically altered cats may also help to develop new stem cell treatments for humans. And, using the same technology, researchers may be able to clone endangered animals like tigers, leopards and wildcats.

Rain in Mexico, On to Malaysia

For the first time in three years there was some measurable rain in Puertecitos, Baja California, where I spent five days at my beach house that has just ended. I even stoked up the wood-burning stove to keep me warm in the evenings.

More on Mexico later. Right now I am in the Singapore Airport (my favorite in the world) in the middle on the night, early flight to Kuala Lumpur in the morning. I hope to have a lot from there on many subjects.

Putting War and Suicide in Perspective, and Why We Need to Focus on Verbs

War is a bad thing, and it is easy to oppose, but the desperation of modern life is also a horrible thing that we need to recognize.

Amidst technological progress and rising quality of life, many people are still despondent and self-destructive. Asking people what makes them happy gets very easy answers: friends, family, meaningful work, enjoying creative activities and the like usually are atop the list. Yet, our priorities are all wrong. We pursue money, belongings, status, fashion and the like to the exclusion of the things that we know have the power to make us happy.

<== Ivan Illich

We are obsessed with nouns instead of verbs, as I have learned from the work of Ivan Illich. We allow ourselves to be convinced that having is more important than doing. We even take wonderful verbs and turn them into nouns - we get a degree instead of learning, we get medical treatment instead of healing, we have sex instead of making love, on and on and on. Of course the verbs are better than the nouns, because they can be repeatedly enjoyed, whereas the new noun toy we acquire soon loses its sparkle. Verbs also tend to involve other people, whereas an owned noun is very rarely truly shared. After long years of work and struggle to acquire the "things" we are told we need, there is still an emptiness and lack of meaning that causes people to strike out against themselves. Here is a stunning fact:

According to official statistics, about a million people die by suicide annually, more than those murdered or killed in war. As of 2001 in the USA, suicides outnumber homicides by 3 to 2 and deaths from AIDS by 2 to 1.

Something is terribly wrong with our civilization. Now we even have suicide tourism. I am not sure I can change the entire civilization, but I can raise a cry and continue to try and direct my life down the path of doing rather than having. I must be determined to promote my meaningful work, my relationships with my friends and my own creative activities. These are the things that are life-affirming.

Thanks for reading.