Thanks for the memories West Tennessee

Not news (according to Dan):

CIA officials say terrorists may strike on 9/11/01.
New Orleans levee may not withstand hurricane
Loan bubble may soon burst

 

Damn those red southern states. Can't be forward progressives. They cling to their guns and their religion....

 

As someone who has made an odd hobby out of the New Madrid fault let me add a couple of things.
The experts aren't entirely convinced if the current rumbles are an indicator of a big one coming or aftershocks of the 1811-12 quakes.
The oral histories of the Indians who lived in the area hundreds of years ago do not indicate that they lived in fear of a big quake. So while it is believed that the quakes happen in cycles, that may not be the case with the New Madrid. Each major fault line is different.
The reality is that we don't really understand our planet very well. Still a giant mystery.
People who live in that area of the world and pay attention are all convinced a big one is coming, but none have left because of it.
If a major quake does happen along the New Madrid, it will effectively break the country in half. The United States may not survive a truly epic 7.5 and above quake.
The gas and oil pipelines to the northeast will be cut. The bridges across the Mississippi from St. Louis down to the Gulf probably won't survive and much of the delta will be underwater, so you loose the rice, soybeans and farm animals, along with the loss of life. The country's food supplies, financial systems and transportation systems won't be able to take it.
A big New Madrid quake is a country game-ender.

 

That's because they can't get anyone to move their home for $200.

 

I just don't like the word "may" in a lead. Why not "is at risk of serious damage."
"May" is a soft word. The news isn't that something "may" happen, the news is why people think there is an increased likelihood of something happening.

And I read a great book on the last great New Madrid earthquake called "When the Mississippi ran Backwards by Jay Feldman. If you like Erik Larson's work, you'll like this one.

 

Someone wrote a novel about this 10-15 years ago. 8.4, I think it was called. And yes, the Mississip ran backards

 

Far more people are interested in college football than a potential earthquake

 

The east side of the river should fare better than the west side. Memphis and most of the east bank is on solid bedrock, while the Arkansas side is alluvial delta soil that'll jiggle like Jello.

I always found it odd that the 120 miles to Memphis from the west is flat as a pancake, but Memphis and points east are rolling hills immediately past the bridge.

 

Let's see, unless this is the same study done 20 years ago, this is an utter waste of time and expense when we're bailing out Tom, Dick and Harry.