EARTHQUAKE, LOLZ
Oct. 30th, 2007 10:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kolSo, there I was, selecting an appropriate loaf pan for my sheppards pot pie at our local Safeway when all of the sudden, deep rumbly. I look up towards the vegetable stacks and am aware we are having a pretty nice earthquake (keep in mind one of my minors WAS geology).
I stood there, warily eyeing the ceiling and the shelf above my head, content to wait it out. A couple bolted, leaving behind a cart by the onion and potato stacks, and inwardly I was laughing at them. Sure, jars of olives were falling (one made it half way across the produce area), but this wasn't that big of a quake? As I left the store with my second grocery purchase of the day, I chuckled at the cashiers who were talking to loved ones with their cells while ringing customers (also on cells).
Cellphones have totally changed earthquakes. Before there was a lot of fear, because you just didn't know where a loved one was to reach them. Now? there's a lot of anxiety. We don't really care *where* they are, just as long as they have their cell with them. Or, that the network holds up. And what was troubling with this quake was by the time I got home, AT&T's network had failed, so I was unable to get through with my cell. It took until 9 before I managed a quick call to my mum, who was more happy to hear which fault it was than if I was alright.
She was betting with her boyfriend which fault it was. Thankfully, she just won five bucks.
I guess we've been fortunate-- our latest big quakes haven't run for very long. The Loma Prieta earthquake in 89 was barely 15 seconds-- usually quakes of that size last much longer. This one seemed to have lasted longer, if only because it felt like two earthquakes-- the initial roll was very strong, but was over within 3-4 seconds. There was a slight pause, and then there was another wave. I remember sitting there impatiently waiting for the second roll to just get over with-- I wasn't about to bolt, especially with a 9x5 loaf pan in hand.
I spent most of the night so far cooking & researching the quake. I gathered a quick linkspam from USGS below for those inclined. Most of the links *are* time sensitive, though.
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http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/36.38.-123.-121.php Local recent earthquakes. See that big red square? YEAH GOOD TIMES.
Actual google map location of the quake: here.
USGS initial report: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc40204628.php
Shake map: http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/ca/STORE/X40204628/ciim_display.html
I stood there, warily eyeing the ceiling and the shelf above my head, content to wait it out. A couple bolted, leaving behind a cart by the onion and potato stacks, and inwardly I was laughing at them. Sure, jars of olives were falling (one made it half way across the produce area), but this wasn't that big of a quake? As I left the store with my second grocery purchase of the day, I chuckled at the cashiers who were talking to loved ones with their cells while ringing customers (also on cells).
Cellphones have totally changed earthquakes. Before there was a lot of fear, because you just didn't know where a loved one was to reach them. Now? there's a lot of anxiety. We don't really care *where* they are, just as long as they have their cell with them. Or, that the network holds up. And what was troubling with this quake was by the time I got home, AT&T's network had failed, so I was unable to get through with my cell. It took until 9 before I managed a quick call to my mum, who was more happy to hear which fault it was than if I was alright.
She was betting with her boyfriend which fault it was. Thankfully, she just won five bucks.
I guess we've been fortunate-- our latest big quakes haven't run for very long. The Loma Prieta earthquake in 89 was barely 15 seconds-- usually quakes of that size last much longer. This one seemed to have lasted longer, if only because it felt like two earthquakes-- the initial roll was very strong, but was over within 3-4 seconds. There was a slight pause, and then there was another wave. I remember sitting there impatiently waiting for the second roll to just get over with-- I wasn't about to bolt, especially with a 9x5 loaf pan in hand.
I spent most of the night so far cooking & researching the quake. I gathered a quick linkspam from USGS below for those inclined. Most of the links *are* time sensitive, though.
--------------
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/36.38.-123.-121.php Local recent earthquakes. See that big red square? YEAH GOOD TIMES.
Actual google map location of the quake: here.
USGS initial report: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc40204628.php
Shake map: http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/ca/STORE/X40204628/ciim_display.html
