BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning

Subject: RE: BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 May 08 - 03:32 PM

And there are lots of relatively big quakes, every day--and even a few gigantic ones, in the 7-8 range, every year. There are even places like Vanuatu that have big earthquakes every day. Most of the earth is relatively uninhabited, so even monumental events generally come and go without being noticed-except by the seismologists. And Alice.

Subject: RE: BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 May 08 - 07:34 PM

'Even the title of this thread is designed to freak people out.'

You're right, radriano. Talking about 'The Big One' leads uneducated people to think that there really is a Big One waiting to happen, and that other people somewhere, somehow, know all about it. Actually, it may be that small quakes are all that will ever happen.

Talking about The Big One is a form of communication called nominalization. Nominalization is common in propaganda, where complex or non-existent processes are disguised as a vague noun.

Subject: RE: BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning
From: Alice
Date: 02 May 08 - 09:09 PM

I did NOT title this thread to "freak people out"!
How dare you.
Read the Associated Press article linked in the first message.
It was warning residents in the area to prepare for a bigger event.
You owe me an apology.

"Among other things, scientists urged residents to stock up on water and food, to learn how to turn off water and gas, and to strap down bookshelves, televisions and computers."

Subject: RE: BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning
From: Ebbie
Date: 02 May 08 - 09:14 PM

Alice is absolutely right. The current pattern of ever-larger temblors in the region provides a cautionary that may well save lives and property not so far down the road. Dismissing advice to that effect in such a cavalier manner is ignorant. IMO

Subject: RE: BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning
From: Slag
Date: 02 May 08 - 10:35 PM

Concerning "The Big One", there is a big one coming. It is inevitable and it is borne out by the geological record. Like clockwork, certain areas experience high magnitude earthquakes. The grinding push of the various plates of Earth's crust cause a slow motion staccato of starts and stops in the movement along a fault line. We know the rate of slippage and the general frequency of earthquakes and the usual magnitude of these quakes, ALONG KNOWN FAULTS. The business going on north of Reno is anomalous. It is happening in one small area and there are no know fault lines to speak of. This area is to date, unpredictable. It could be a incipient volcano. It could just be what it appears, a swarm of earthquakes.

But along the known faults such as the San Andreas, the Garlock, the Big Pine, White Wolf etc. the Big Ones happen with great regularity and have for hundreds of thousands of years. Just because WE are here now does not mean that the process has stopped for our convenience. We tend to think in terms of a life time or two and get very comfortable thinking nothing has ever happened in my life time like a "Big One" so it isn't going to happen. That's wrong thinking and my advice is to prepare some plans (plural) for survival: escape routes, gas shutoff locations, circuit breaker and the like, stored water. flash lights, a tent? some kind of temporary shelter, extra clothing. rallying point, a strobe light, portable radio. This is just good common sense that could save your life or the life of a neighbor.

Let me normalize you to doing something may just save your nominal life.

Subject: RE: BS: Reno Earthquake - Big One warning
From: Skivee
Date: 02 May 08 - 11:54 PM

All good advice, Slag.