Homestead mailing list

[Rob <becida AT comcast.net>]

At  4/18/2008 10:55 PM,Lynda wrote:
> There is also a fault that runs up the East Coast.  Don't remember its name
> but it runs under or close to NYC.  It is due to go off.  Now there will be
> MAJOR damage!
>
> Lynda

I love this "due to go off" stuff.  "Due" like the rent is?
Naa, it's "due" in that it ought to have happened or so the 
scientists have guessed.
"Due" is a good word....

It is hard to grasp that "due" is now or next week or next month or 
ten years or a hundred years from now. But that's the geologic "due".

How many folks in Calif on this list have felt an earthquake? Go 
ahead, raise your hand... Most everyone I'd guess and I'd also guess 
that if you tell them 'the big one' is "due" they have a good idea of 
what you are talking about.
(I will be the first to admit that I cannot imagine a REALLY 'big 
one', I saw thing on Discovery about a fault line off the west coast 
and when it goes the shaking at the far end will last over 5 
minutes... 5 minutes with the earth rolling, that's a LONG time).

Now how many folks in the east have ever felt an earthquake before 
last week? Go ahead and raise your hand, if you were on the west 
coast when you felt it it doesn't count.
Now when someone tells you that a big earthquake is "due" and neither 
you or your parents or your grandparents have ever felt one what the 
heck are you going to worry about? If you are not going to worry 
about it you are going to be hard pressed to prepare for it.
The same thing for a tidal wave on the west coast... Not many around 
who remember the last BIG tidal wave or have relatives to pass the 
stories down.
FWIW the massive Christmas wave actually did go around corners.


When I was stationed in San Francisco I carried a personal camera 
with me when flying around in the helicopter, if 'the big one' came I 
wanted to be ready to take personal pictures of the TransAmerica 
Pyramid going over or the GG Bridge going down.
I lived 300 feet from the beach in Pacifica and the San Andras fault 
was to the east of me, I could see where it ran up the hill.
Damn few illusions but I did keep food and water just in case I made it.
I often wondered what would happen if the Pacific plate rose 3 feet 
(or more) in relation to the North American plate, all that Pacific 
Ocean water rushing into San Francisco Bay and out into all the low 
spots while the sea level adjusted.
What a mess IF it were to happen. Lot's of "IFs" in earthquake talk.




Rob

becida AT comcast.net
Western Washington State, USA