. . . although a few years ago, an earthquake in the Midwest sent aftershocks into AZ, knocking loose shelves behind my desk at work where I would have been sitting had I not been on vacation.

The shelves crashed down on my drawing area and destroyed some nice decorations, including a great porcelain piece of a wolf I had gotten while hiking in Yellowstone. I asked for about $90 in reimbursement from my company and got it, because the shelves had not been anchored to the walls like they should have been.

Had it not been for that vacation, I would not be on the board today tormenting Mormon trolls (and some others, as well) with inconvenient facts. :)

True, Arizona has had its share of those with their screws loose (including a history with wacky Mormon politicians that has involved the impeachment and removal from office of a goofy LDS governor and a current recall effort against the extremist LDS president of the state Senate), but other than that (and the housing crash), we're--at least seismically speaking--pretty stable.



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:28PM by steve benson.

We're Calif transplants to NE AZ. It's windy...but SCal has the Santa Ana winds. It's rainy during monsoon season...but El Nino puts the fear of Global Warming deep into your heart.

Earthquakes in SCal are mostly entertaining. However, we escaped to AZ to get away from the traffic, the graffiti, the traffic, the smog, the crowds, and the traffic.

And thankfully, NE AZ doesn't get QUITE as hot as Phoenix. It's supposed to be, what, 112 on Wednesday?


~VOW

And it depends on how you define "meaningful".

According to the USGS "In the past century or more, 14 tremors of intensity V to VII have centered within its borders, of which 12 were reported after Arizona entered the Union in February 1912. All of these shocks, however, were moderate in intensity, with one intensity VII, one VI-VII, four VI, and eight V."

I personally consider earthquakes of intensity V (5) and above to be "meaningful".

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/arizona/history.php



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:09PM by MJ.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:25PM by steve benson.

And yes, it is not the west coast or the east cost, where buildings are built to withstand earthquakes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:30PM by MJ.

Many of the quakes that have occurred here, in fact, have not always even been felt.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:32PM by steve benson.

Sorry Benson, your original claim "No Quakin' About the Shakin.' Not since Flagstaff blew its volcano tops thousands of years ago have we had any meaningful seismic activity here" is false.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:33PM by steve benson.

Aw, MJ, he qualified his original premise. AZ is a very NON populous state--which is why I moved here.

AZ also has quite a few tornadoes, but again, since it is so sparsely populated, the tornadoes have to hang out with the earthquakes for company.


~VOW

And if it only kills you rather than thousands, that would really suck for you.

Yeah, it would REALLY suck if I'd get killed by an earthquake in AZ after moving here from SCal!

EVERY SINGLE STATE in the US has natural hazards and disasters. I've lived in several US states and been aware of all the things that COULD have happened. When I told people in Wisconsin that I was moving to California, they were HORRIFIED, "Oh, but there are EARTHQUAKES out there!" Well, no shit, but there are a lot more TORNADOES in Wisconsin than killer earthquakes in California!

Look at the flooding across the US, the horrible droughts in Texas, the unbearable, unending HEAT everywhere, the tornadoes, the hurricanes, even the stupid great white sharks off North Carolina!

I cannot and WILL NOT spend my life worrying about what natural disaster "might" kill me. I'd rather spend my time loving my friends and family, and appreciating the good things around me.


~VOW

Can we agree that the evidence from the USGS makes it clear that "meaningful" earthquakes do hit AZ?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:48PM by steve benson.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:53PM by steve benson.

But. hey, what does the USGS know?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:58PM by steve benson.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:26PM by steve benson.

Now go show this thread to your mommy so she can tell you how proud she is of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCBT7PfAEgc



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:31PM by steve benson.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:14PM by steve benson.

I changed my mind.

Guess that is not allowed around the people that hang on to BELIEFS eh?

Yeah, Steve, I got a buzz outta that one, too! ;)

I'm sure the entire State of Arizona stood up and applauded when Hubby and I moved here.

*doubled over with hysterical laughter*


~VOW

"No earthquake in recorded history has caused deaths or injuries in Arizona. In the past century or more, 14 tremors of intensity V to VII have centered within its borders, of which 12 were reported after Arizona entered the Union in February 1912. All of these shocks, however, were moderate in intensity, with one intensity VII, one VI-VII, four VI, and eight V."

--That's "moderate in intensity," with no deaths or injuries, to boot. Well, there goes your sacrament meeting "Be Prepared for the Big One" talk. :)

("Arizona: Earthquake History," at: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/arizona/history.php)



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:46PM by steve benson.

No deaths, no injuries and earthquakes in moderation.

Never mind all that.

THE SKY IS FALLING! THE SKY IS FALLING!

:)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:51PM by steve benson.

Which is of course HISTORIC and can be verified by looking at the EVIDENCE.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 05:56PM by MJ.

MJ: "And that is why you will be unprepared when an earquake hits."

When an "earquake" hits? Um, MJ, earthquakes have hit Arizona and none in recorded history that have killed anyone, injured anyone or been more than moderate in intensity. I'd say that earthquakes that don't kill or hurt anybody in recorded state history and that are moderately intense, as determined by the USGS, are really not that meaningful.

As far as "earquakes" go, despite your capital-letter screaming my hearing is just fine, thank you.



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:50PM by steve benson.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:23PM by steve benson.

"meaningful seismic activity"

...or how you interpret 'meaningful'

I'm sitting on a big fat fault myself up here on the West Coast of Canada. We tend to be complacent or just slightly laid back if you prefer. C'est la vie, what will be will be.

For the many "beach bums" up here, a tsunami will be more likely to carry them off.

I do think about it more as newscasters drool over "the big one" that's apparently "overdue" and do appreciate any tips about how to survive. I wouldn't want to be in a triangle for days though. Brutally claustrophobic I'd say.

I forget who said I don't mind dying, I just don't want to be there when it happens, but I say a big amen to that.

7.0 is when the Californians start looking a little scared. And we get a little upset because the expensive crystal falls out of the cabinets.

5.5 on the eighth floor of a new building is rather fun! And the expression on the face of someone from the East Coast is PRICELESS!


~VOW

i lived on the third floor of my dorm at uc santa cruz and we'd feel earthquakes that were in the 4.0 range and 100 miles away.

during the last earthquake i was in (southern california), my baby slept right through it.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:17PM by steve benson.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:21PM by steve benson.

Nightingale got it: the key word is MEANINGFUL.

In 1970, the LA quake did quite a bit of damage, and a few people died.

Where I lived in SCal, we got a nice ride, and the aftershocks gave people something to talk about.

For the few who died, that quake was meaningful. For the millions who did not lose any property, who were not injured or even inconvenienced, the quake was simply one of many.

In 1992, a big quake hit Big Bear, California. It woke up nearly everyone, and had them hyped up for when the bigger quake hit Landers. Landers is LITERALLY out in the middle of nowhere. And it is surrounded by even MORE nowhere.

One person died. A four year old child was killed by falling debris in Landers.

For the child, for his parents, certainly, and for all who knew the child, the quake was horribly meaningful.

The Landers quake made a LOT of work for a LOT of people, for quite a long, long time. It was a gigantic pain in the butt, because land measurements were skewed and everything had to be corrected to "post-Landers." For the people who got stuck with the extra work, the quake was sort of meaningful. After they went home at the end of the day, the meaning went to zero.

Arizona has a LOT of "out in the middle of nowhere." A quake of tsunami-generating proportions, such as the devastation in Japan, or Indonesia, might upset a few antelope or jackrabbits in Arizona. It would be meaningful to people who would have to make land measurement accommodations, such as surveyors. And it could cause rejoicing to companies who are interested in mining, if the quake manages to bring valuable subterranean resources closer to the surface.

It's a matter of perspective.


~VOW

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:41PM by steve benson.

Having spent my whole life in AZ, I'm going to agree with Steve on this. Moderate with no deaths or injuries in the history of AZ does not equal meaningful IMHO. Earthquakes are not something I worry about. Heatstroke and people driving in the rain are more likely to kill me here.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 06:46PM by steve benson.

Are you allowed to use that word in Arizona ; ' )

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/us/22haboob.html

Hahhaha!!

August it not the best month to sell people on AZ. Neither are articles linking to dust storms!

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/hazards.shtm

So, if people want to try a state with "No Quakin' About the Shakin." they could do much better than AZ.

Of course trying to explain away earthquake risk with semantics will probably win the day.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 07:32PM by steve benson.

Then compare the risk of an AZ earthquake to the risk that is listed for where the current DC quake hit.

Hmmm, same risk factor.

Guess the DC quake isn't "meaningful" eh?

Yes, benson, explain away the evidence just like the religious apologists.

C'ya.

Besides, the USGS, "organizationally" (to use your word), has already described AZ's earth quake history as moderately intense with no recorded deaths or injuries. Live with it. We have.

Are you sure you aren't peddling emergency food kits on Glenn Beck's freaked-out radio show?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 07:39PM by steve benson.

And it turns out that if people don't want to be at risk of an earthquake like that that hit Virginia, AZ is not the place to go.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 07:39PM by MJ.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 07:40PM by steve benson.

Guess that is not allowed in your world eh? But if you want to cling to that in avoidance of the evidence, you can.,



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:00PM by MJ.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:14PM by steve benson.

Juheesus H(aboobs) Cheeerist! Let us stop...

(and don't give me any more flak about proper thread etiquette!)

I put a lot of effort into my explanation of "meaningful" earthquakes, above. Did you even read MY post?

Perhaps the "experts" are using the word MEANINGFUL to express earthquake probability cross-referenced to population density? DC has a density of roughly 1,000,000 people per square foot. AZ has a population density of approximately one tenth of a person per hundred mile squared. Or thereabouts.

I'm done.


~VOW



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 07:45PM by voweaver.

"Oh, you win."

Posted by: MJ
Date: August 23, 2011 06:26P



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 07:47PM by steve benson.

But hey, we are used to people ignoring evidence here right?

And why are you trying to make this about ME and not the evidence I post? Why is that?

But hey, if you want to cling an insincere surrender. AND the ignore the facts, that is your business.

But hey, if all your want is to pretend you won, you can do that, it is OK with me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:00PM by MJ.

I know, I know. To you, that still doesn't matter.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:01PM by steve benson.

That does not change the evidence I presented.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:09PM by steve benson.

But you can hang on to your BELIEFS in disregard to the facts. You can hold onto your BELIEFS that my "hoisting a white flag" changes any of the FACTS presented or the truthfulness of what I said.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:17PM by steve benson.

The mental gymnastics some go through to maintain their BELIEFS!

How did this thread not get shut down at 30 posts? LOL.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 08:03PM by steve benson.