Posted on 04/12/2012 7:06:59 AM PDT by BenLurkin
LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Four large earthquakes struck around the Pacific Rim Wednesday with one setting a record, as the most powerful strike-slip quake ever recorded.
Geologists have nicknamed the Pacific Rim the “ring of fire” because of frequent volcanic and seismic activity.
The rash of earthquakes sent shock waves of concern across the globe.
Two giant quakes struck in Indonesia, one measuring a magnitude of 8.6. People were seen running in fear.
Closer to Southern California, two more earthquakes hit — a 6.5 in Mexico, where buildings rocked and shook, and a 5.9 off the Oregon coast.
Local scientists said that although the cluster of quakes may make us sit up and take notice, we should not be overly alarmed.
“One thing that happens when we have a lot of earthquakes in the news, everybody goes ‘Does that mean I’m going to have an earthquake?’ And the reality is it is essentially random and you haven’t changed your chance of having an earthquake,” said Lucy Jones of the USGS.
While most earthquakes are located along the ring of fire — an area along the basin of the Pacific Ocean — Jones said that Wednesday’s earthquakes were on entirely different plates.
“The ring of fire has no relationship at all to these earthquakes. The ring of fire is an old term before we understood plate tectonics,” she explained.
But scientists did say that the seismic activity was unusual. They said the two quakes in Indonesia were on strike-slip faults, the same type we have in California.
An 8.6 magnitude on a strike-slip had never been recorded before Wednesday’s, according to scientists.
“And now we have this 8.6 off of that interface out in the ocean floor and that’s really — I mean it’s shocking actually,” said Thomas Heaton with CALTECH.
The quakes on our continent did not do serious damage, but experts said that it was a reminder to always be prepared.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a typical day in California. We live in earthquake country and you’ve got to be ready,” Heaton said.
Very clever; LOL.
I’d like to hear it, Quix.
Quix won’t reply. If he can’t dominate the conversation he slinks away.
That hasn’t been my experience with him, at all. In fact, I’ve found him to the very much the opposite.
Thanks folks for high jacking this thread. Really great discussion on preps. Nice job.
And others started the discussion as to whether these earthquakes are exceptionally notable or not. I responded to that.
Plus, nothing is stopping you from discussing preps on this thread.
But go ahead, snark instead of adding any substance.
Since the thread is trashed anyway, sure, I’ll snark.
Looks to me like you’re the agumentitive one on this thread. Every post from you on this thread had belittled the comments of others.
Let’s review, shall we?
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In after those who think that ten years of earthquake activity is any kind of significant yardstick compared to geological time.
4 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:13:09 AM by dirtboy
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Not sure how earthquakes along known fault zones are anything diverse or strange.
8 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:25:30 AM by dirtboy
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In after those who think natural variability in earthquake frequency in established earthquake zones are somehow indicative of prophecy.
13 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:33:28 AM by dirtboy
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So tell me what that has to do with pointing out that the number of earthquakes we have seen as of late is not that far off the frequency of quakes observed over the last 100 years - a very short time period compared to geological time.
19 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:53:47 AM by dirtboy
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In after those who look for signs of something extraordinary in events that are not all that far out of the ordinary once you study the history of such.
20 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 10:55:18 AM by dirtboy
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But my point is, how are earthquakes as we have seen as of late all that different from what has happened in the Christian era? We had some really bad 9+ earthquakes in the Fifties and Sixties, stronger than the Sumatra quake and the Japan quake. There was an estimated 9.0 in 1700 off the coast of Washington State that would be catastrophic if it happened again today.
If you look at a statistical analyis of the number of earthquakes as of late, it is not that far from a baseline of quakes plotted over the last 100 years. I would expect that, if a series of earthquakes were to actually be a harbinger of the Second Coming or of End Times, that they would truly be something extraordinary, in either frequency or strenght, compared to what has been seen in the Christian era instead of a frequency that could be explainable within the realm of natural variability and at maximum strength actually below earthquakes from fifty years ago.
One can have faith and still be able to evaluate statistics.
23 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 11:20:17 AM by dirtboy
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I wouldn’t. First, Mag 5 isn’t that strong. Second, that chart would have more meaning if it went back to 1950, as there were two massive earthquakes in the early sixties, and large earthquakes often trigger a lot of 5+ aftershocks, so we can’t tell if the increase in 5+ earthquakes on this chart is due to massive earthquakes triggering a lot of aftershocks over the last decade or if this represents something independent of aftershocks.
25 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 11:49:06 AM by dirtboy
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And see what? I’m sorry, but spirituality does not require I look for extraordinary meaning in a sequence of natural events that are not that out of the ordinary. I’ll save a sense of an impending Second Coming if I see earthquakes that truly are abnormal. What we have seen over the last decade is not abnormal.
Pop quiz - was the Sumatra earthquake of 2004 the strongest of the last 100 years?
30 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 12:18:02 PM by dirtboy
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Given your idea of a useful opinion is a bunch of conspiracy lunacy from the internet (Hey, look, there’s another Elenin youtube!), I’ll count my blessings that you are not contributing to this thread.
31 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 12:19:48 PM by dirtboy
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Hey, if you want to make a big deal out of something that really isn’t, knock yourself out.
56 posted on Thursday, April 12, 2012 4:07:31 PM by dirtboy
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So, who’s being ‘snarky’?
And I'm sorry that vigorous debate offends your sensibilities. Maybe you should start a blog where you can control the tone.
#3 was removed so I never saw it.
I don’t need to control the tone.
My sensibilities are not offended. I am irritated that you have prevented any discussion of prepping.
I usually get some really good info on prepping ideas. That’s why I am on these threads. You on the other hand seem to be here to prove how smart you are to the rest of us.
Color me unimpressed.
3 is not removed. I responded to it.
You on the other hand seem to be here to prove how smart you are to the rest of us.
3 basically set forth a challenge. I answered it.
And nothing is keeping you from right now pinging in folks to discuss prepping on this thread. Instead you just want to complain that the other topic of this thread, earthquakes, was discussed.
So take your own advice and raise the topic you are interested in.
My bad on #3. I was thinking of 14.
Again, I was hoping to get some prepping info.
>> 3 basically set forth a challenge. I answered it. <<
And thus changed the subject from prepping to the number of earthquakes.
Thanks. Really appreciate that. I have to go be productive now.
Ah, so because another poster raised a topic you don't care to discuss, but is still a valid topic, given the story, and because I answered, it's all my fault that prepping was not discussed on this thread.
Seriously, go to Target and get some underwear a size or two larger than you are currently wearing. Yours apparently are way too tight.
Title of the thread:
Cluster Of Large Quakes Serve As Reminder For Preparedness
>> Seriously, go to Target and get some underwear a size or two larger than you are currently wearing. Yours apparently are way too tight. <<
Another lovely comment. Your screen name fits.
Bye.
Quakes. In. Title.
Oh, and BTW, you have made, what, ten or so posts complaining about the fact that this thread is not about prepping, instead of making posts about prepping.
The underwear comment fits.
Psst, don't tell anyone but same here. I read for the longest wondering where the Quakers fit in. Reading glasses are at my elbow sitting atop my latest read, "Patriots", oh well.
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