5 ms·

The Health Crisis of a Texas Bitcoin Town

59 points by worstspotgain 2y ago

fire_lake 2y ago
Unbelievable that the mining facility doesn’t breach zoning rules. How was this ever allowed?
- cratermoon 2y ago
  corruption. Someone in the local or state government got paid or is getting paid to look the other way.
  - worstspotgain 2y ago
    In many (most?) areas in Texas there is little or no zoning, e.g. famously in Houston, where voters rejected it multiple times. However, things like this are obviously the (crazy) exception rather than the rule. Are land use restrictions like zoning good or not? In most large cities, people are enserfed by their home purchases, if they can even afford one altogether. A minimal amount of zoning is one thing, but we're talking height and volume limits, byzantine red tape, and countless other intentional impediments. Here's two somewhat-similar listings from Houston (no zoning): https://www.redfin.com/TX/Houston/4119-Chasewick-Cir-77014/home/30534538 https://www.redfin.com/TX/Houston/4119-Chasewick-Cir-77014/h... And Austin (zoning and plenty of other land use restrictions): https://www.redfin.com/TX/Austin/3613-Windsor-Rd-78703/home/31234703 https://www.redfin.com/TX/Austin/3613-Windsor-Rd-78703/home/... I only spent 15 seconds looking these up, and obviously demand is different because of different neighborhoods, job markets, and whatnot - but restrictive land use laws generally account for 90% of the remaining price difference these days. Before the housing pyramid scheme began in the early 1970s, the median house used to cost a couple years' worth of the median income in most places. In Houston this is still the case.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
viraptor 2y ago
> And the Bitcoin mining industry is urgently trying to push bills through state legislatures, including in Indiana and Missouri, which would exempt Bitcoin mines from local zoning or noise ordinances. That's some new low they're reaching. I really hope their operations become a target of sabotage and attacks. I hope the residents realise failure of cooling can solve some of their problems...
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- gs17 2y ago
  For a state stereotyped as shooting first and asking questions never, I'm amazed that no one has been desperate enough to take matters into their own hands. They're being murdered by this company, it's practically self-defense.
  - bdjsiqoocwk 2y ago
    No no, that's people with guns on powerless people. Not people on companies obviously.
lupire 2y ago
How does the noise compare to living in a city? Do cities have the same health crisis due to noise?
- viraptor 2y ago
  Compared to (random example) Melbourne https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Greater-Melbourne-area-and-road-noise-model-predictions-2011-at-the-level-of-10-10-m_fig1_335637475 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Greater-Melbourne-area-a... it's about the same as being right next to a major street at rush hour. The difference is that the rush hour doesn't last 24h and is not a monotonous sound. The traffic is both naturally limited at night and there are extra restrictions on heavy traffic. The buildings right next to the big streets also typically account for this, both explicitly (noise insulation) and implicitly (larger buildings, more neutral isolation from the vibrations). From the same study: > At these estimated noise levels, approxi- mately 5% of the population would be exposed to road traffic noise above the IHD risk threshold of 55 dB
- ejdhshsuwisjsh 2y ago
  Probably not to this extent but yes.
- rsynnott 2y ago
  I know it is most improper on this here orange website to actually read the article, but: > Rosenkranz pulls out her phone and clocks 72 decibels on a sound meter app—the same level that she records in Indigo’s bedroom in the dead of night. In early 2023, her daughter began waking up, yelling and holding her ears. > Shirley sticks his recorder out the window and the numbers on it flicker up and down as the roar washes over it. Eventually, the recorder caps out at 91 decibels, which the CDC estimates as roughly in between the output of a lawnmower and a chainsaw. > New York City, for instance, has a noise code which officially caps restaurant music and air conditioning at 42 decibels (as measured within a nearby residence). At peak times, if you're living beside a major motorway or similar, you might see 70db. In most places, if you're allowed build housing beside such a thing at all, you'll be required to have triple-glazing and other noise-abatement stuff. Other than that, anywhere else in a city is going to be considerably quieter.
drwl 2y ago
I read the entire article and that is tough. Up to 90 dB is wild.
danlugo92 2y ago
Obviosuly the problem is not bitcoin but the government not enforcing laws right guys? Right..??
hofo 2y ago
> Technically there is federal mandate to regulate noise, which stems from the 1972 Noise Control Act—but it was essentially de-funded during the Reagan administration. On-brand
RajuVarghese 2y ago
Hard to believe that such severe health issues can result from noise. I find it harder to believe that Bitcoin mining can cause so much noise. Shouldn't Marathon realize the evil of their ways?
- moritzwarhier 2y ago
  > Hard to believe that such severe health issues can result from noise. Why?
  - RajuVarghese 2y ago
    When I say "hard to believe" I don't mean to say that I don't believe it. With that out of the way, I am merely stating that it challenges my gray cells: how could sound waves hitting the ear drums cause the variety of health issues that are reported in the article.
    - burkaman 2y ago
      Linked from the article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31769799/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31769799/. The summary is that noise causes stress and stress is very bad for you. It is commonly stated that the only two innate fears that all humans are born with are falling and loud noises. I don't know if that's completely true, but it's easy to understand why we might all have an instinctive fear/stress response to loud noises.
      - RajuVarghese 2y ago
        Thanks for the link.
b3ing 2y ago
This video does a good job of the noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aWmPzgpv6k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aWmPzgpv6k
- animal531 2y ago
  That's an insane level of sound to be subjected to constantly. One would think there would be some zoning regulation in place to combat this.
bogoris 2y ago
Ça serait jamais arrivé avec la Ğ1.
janandonly 2y ago
Ok so let me get this straight, We’re upset and blaming Bitcoin mining because -An 81 year old has vertigo and high blood pressure -A cancer patient has a headache -A 64 year old man had a blood clot Noise complaints are a fair concern for bitcoin mining but most miners are actively monitoring this and finding alternative solutions (look at riots large immersion facility and gigas hydro boxes). Also, how does one deduce that mining is the only cause for these health issues. Any questions about lifestyle, past health concerns? Time has become a joke.
- t0bia_s 2y ago
  Another article that sound like anti-bitcoin propaganda. Governments and banks must be scared.
- croes 2y ago
  Aren't you missing some people? >hypertension, heart palpitations, chest pain, vertigo, tinnitus, migraines, panic attacks. At least 10 people went to urgent care or the emergency room with these symptoms.
- rysertio 2y ago
  You missed hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to loud noise will damage hearing to a certain degree. No one is blaming bitcoin mining, it's a single company that doesn't adhere to the noise standards is the problem.

59 points by worstspotgain 2y ago

fire_lake 2y ago

Unbelievable that the mining facility doesn’t breach zoning rules. How was this ever allowed?

cratermoon 2y ago
corruption. Someone in the local or state government got paid or is getting paid to look the other way.
- worstspotgain 2y ago
  In many (most?) areas in Texas there is little or no zoning, e.g. famously in Houston, where voters rejected it multiple times. However, things like this are obviously the (crazy) exception rather than the rule. Are land use restrictions like zoning good or not? In most large cities, people are enserfed by their home purchases, if they can even afford one altogether. A minimal amount of zoning is one thing, but we're talking height and volume limits, byzantine red tape, and countless other intentional impediments. Here's two somewhat-similar listings from Houston (no zoning): https://www.redfin.com/TX/Houston/4119-Chasewick-Cir-77014/home/30534538 https://www.redfin.com/TX/Houston/4119-Chasewick-Cir-77014/h... And Austin (zoning and plenty of other land use restrictions): https://www.redfin.com/TX/Austin/3613-Windsor-Rd-78703/home/31234703 https://www.redfin.com/TX/Austin/3613-Windsor-Rd-78703/home/... I only spent 15 seconds looking these up, and obviously demand is different because of different neighborhoods, job markets, and whatnot - but restrictive land use laws generally account for 90% of the remaining price difference these days. Before the housing pyramid scheme began in the early 1970s, the median house used to cost a couple years' worth of the median income in most places. In Houston this is still the case.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

viraptor 2y ago

> And the Bitcoin mining industry is urgently trying to push bills through state legislatures, including in Indiana and Missouri, which would exempt Bitcoin mines from local zoning or noise ordinances. That's some new low they're reaching. I really hope their operations become a target of sabotage and attacks. I hope the residents realise failure of cooling can solve some of their problems...

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
gs17 2y ago
For a state stereotyped as shooting first and asking questions never, I'm amazed that no one has been desperate enough to take matters into their own hands. They're being murdered by this company, it's practically self-defense.
- bdjsiqoocwk 2y ago
  No no, that's people with guns on powerless people. Not people on companies obviously.

lupire 2y ago

How does the noise compare to living in a city? Do cities have the same health crisis due to noise?

viraptor 2y ago
Compared to (random example) Melbourne https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Greater-Melbourne-area-and-road-noise-model-predictions-2011-at-the-level-of-10-10-m_fig1_335637475 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Greater-Melbourne-area-a... it's about the same as being right next to a major street at rush hour. The difference is that the rush hour doesn't last 24h and is not a monotonous sound. The traffic is both naturally limited at night and there are extra restrictions on heavy traffic. The buildings right next to the big streets also typically account for this, both explicitly (noise insulation) and implicitly (larger buildings, more neutral isolation from the vibrations). From the same study: > At these estimated noise levels, approxi- mately 5% of the population would be exposed to road traffic noise above the IHD risk threshold of 55 dB
ejdhshsuwisjsh 2y ago
Probably not to this extent but yes.
rsynnott 2y ago
I know it is most improper on this here orange website to actually read the article, but: > Rosenkranz pulls out her phone and clocks 72 decibels on a sound meter app—the same level that she records in Indigo’s bedroom in the dead of night. In early 2023, her daughter began waking up, yelling and holding her ears. > Shirley sticks his recorder out the window and the numbers on it flicker up and down as the roar washes over it. Eventually, the recorder caps out at 91 decibels, which the CDC estimates as roughly in between the output of a lawnmower and a chainsaw. > New York City, for instance, has a noise code which officially caps restaurant music and air conditioning at 42 decibels (as measured within a nearby residence). At peak times, if you're living beside a major motorway or similar, you might see 70db. In most places, if you're allowed build housing beside such a thing at all, you'll be required to have triple-glazing and other noise-abatement stuff. Other than that, anywhere else in a city is going to be considerably quieter.

drwl 2y ago

I read the entire article and that is tough. Up to 90 dB is wild.

danlugo92 2y ago

Obviosuly the problem is not bitcoin but the government not enforcing laws right guys? Right..??

hofo 2y ago

> Technically there is federal mandate to regulate noise, which stems from the 1972 Noise Control Act—but it was essentially de-funded during the Reagan administration. On-brand

RajuVarghese 2y ago

Hard to believe that such severe health issues can result from noise. I find it harder to believe that Bitcoin mining can cause so much noise. Shouldn't Marathon realize the evil of their ways?

moritzwarhier 2y ago
> Hard to believe that such severe health issues can result from noise. Why?
- RajuVarghese 2y ago
  When I say "hard to believe" I don't mean to say that I don't believe it. With that out of the way, I am merely stating that it challenges my gray cells: how could sound waves hitting the ear drums cause the variety of health issues that are reported in the article.
  - burkaman 2y ago
    Linked from the article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31769799/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31769799/. The summary is that noise causes stress and stress is very bad for you. It is commonly stated that the only two innate fears that all humans are born with are falling and loud noises. I don't know if that's completely true, but it's easy to understand why we might all have an instinctive fear/stress response to loud noises.
    - RajuVarghese 2y ago
      Thanks for the link.

b3ing 2y ago

This video does a good job of the noise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aWmPzgpv6k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aWmPzgpv6k

animal531 2y ago
That's an insane level of sound to be subjected to constantly. One would think there would be some zoning regulation in place to combat this.

bogoris 2y ago

Ça serait jamais arrivé avec la Ğ1.

janandonly 2y ago

Ok so let me get this straight, We’re upset and blaming Bitcoin mining because -An 81 year old has vertigo and high blood pressure -A cancer patient has a headache -A 64 year old man had a blood clot Noise complaints are a fair concern for bitcoin mining but most miners are actively monitoring this and finding alternative solutions (look at riots large immersion facility and gigas hydro boxes). Also, how does one deduce that mining is the only cause for these health issues. Any questions about lifestyle, past health concerns? Time has become a joke.

t0bia_s 2y ago
Another article that sound like anti-bitcoin propaganda. Governments and banks must be scared.
croes 2y ago
Aren't you missing some people? >hypertension, heart palpitations, chest pain, vertigo, tinnitus, migraines, panic attacks. At least 10 people went to urgent care or the emergency room with these symptoms.
rysertio 2y ago
You missed hearing loss. Prolonged exposure to loud noise will damage hearing to a certain degree. No one is blaming bitcoin mining, it's a single company that doesn't adhere to the noise standards is the problem.