Hi,

First, glad everyone closer than me is ok.
Was at work when it hit. I too had the mental run-through: truck? aircraft? explosion at Fort Lee? Terror? Oh, an earthquake- ok. Knocked some DVDs off a shelf. No damage in the Tri-Cities area. Two aftershocks (that I know of) already.
Been through a number of quakes when I was a student at SFSU. Scary, but not as bad as terror.
More concerned with Irene. Feel pretty prepared, but will still buy water & a couple of candles.
Have a good night!

+1 down here.

The description on CBS news was that due to the geology, the eastern seaboard rings like a bell when a quake happens. Earthquakes are relatively low on my list but not off of it due to the New Madrid fault on the other end of the state.

Try these mini utility scissors. That's what I carry in DC on the Hill or at PSQ. They fit most anywhere and cut reasonably well.

I try to keep the CP happy too.

It always amazes me how many people leave their purses and keys behind when they go out for lunch, a smoke or a firedrill. Likwise, the ones who go out in just a shirt in the colder, wetter weather.

I always think "what are you going to do when you can't get back in?"

I recall a fire alarm once about 30 mins before quitting time, that turned into an ordeal of a almost 2 hours. I went home. Most stayed and grumbled because they couldn't go home. They didn't learn though. Just lived to complain the next time around.

We're just coming off siren testing at the Pickering nuclear plant, which I work beside. Nobody I work with takes prepping for a nuclear accident seriously. We felt a little tremor today but hardly noticed it. Nobody paid much attention until we heard it on the radio and someone asked how much shaking the nuke box can withstand.

I don't expect much to come of it (is the betting closed yet?) and so am glad I only work with a few people, and not my old office of hundreds.

Contrary to the information released by Tempco the Fukishima reactors were reported to have began melting down before the Tsunami hit and took out the backup Diesel gen sets. I think that most reactor documentation requires the recording of X-ray welds to the plumbing which keeps the whole pile cool i.e static pressure testing. I don't think that the welds are tested for shear forces so even a relatively minor earthquake could prove to be quite disastrous.

http://vimeo.com/27481567

Just goes to show that even a reactor can begin to fall apart quite drastically just to lack of maintenance and rodents chewing cables.


BTW I hope the radioactive fall out mentioned in a previous thread (postulated that it was a buildup of Radon Gas in the atmosphere) doesn't herald a massive quake in the next few weeks.

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=229952#Post229952

Huh? Could you explain the reasoning behind this statement, please?

Also in SE PA... Took a moment to register what was really happening sitting their in my office. Talk about an eye opener. I've never felt anything quite so unsettling as that.

There have been various potential earthquake precursor events, Radon gas anomalies being one of them along with GPS anomalies i.e. measurement of the GPS error due to the wide variability in Total Electron Content (ionisation) in the upper troposphere. WAAS system of GPS ground stations can map the TEC.

http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/may102004/1288.pdf

http://ursigass2011.org/abstracts/ursi/GHE3-5.pdf

There has also been visual indications of atmospheric anomalies as well such as rainbow effects in clear sky and strange cloud formations reported as well.

I also remember that even before the recent Japanese Earthquake there were atmospheric IR anomalies recorded as well.

http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/26773/

Thank you. There have also been strange animal behaviors noted, changing well levels, etc. None of these has been consistently associated with earthquake events to my knowledge. Reliable earthquake prediction is still in the future IMHO.