By Douglas V. Gibbs
The above sentence is what I sent to Political Pistachio via cell phone moments after the earthquake struck Mineral, Virginia, and sent East Coast residents fleeing for cover. As the reports came out of the area, I didn't know if to laugh, or laugh louder.
Okay, I get it, you folks out there are not used to earthquakes. But the news agencies are using words like "huge" and "terrible" to describe a nice little 5.8 magnitude quake. That's a relatively mild earthquake. Sure, it rattles nerves, but are you serious? Thousands fleeing because of a little ol' 5.8 quake? Really?
Perhaps I seem insensitive, but I find it funny that a region that braves powerful hurricanes are freaking out over a mid-sized earthquake, and a handful of aftershocks.
Once again, I get it, you aren't used to earthquakes. In fact, there hasn't been a trembler this big on the East Coast since 1875. And I am told that around New York and Washington, memories of 911 were bubbling to the surface.
Okay, okay, that's your out. It felt like a terrorist attack, and you aren't used to your chairs moving and then realizing it is because the whole dang building is swaying back and forth.
Here in Southern California, a 5.8 earthquake is just another day in paradise. . . but your overreaction is still funny.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
Thousands flee swaying buildings as 5.8 earthquake shakes East Coast from Washington D.C. to New York City - U.K. Mail Online
I must admit that I wondered "Why is my office shaking?" It felt like I was sitting next to an unbalanced washing machine. I thought at first that something had happened just to my building, until I looked out the window and found people evacuating from neighboring buildings.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know that when it comes to earthquakes, we east coasters are wusses compared to you Californians (not to mention the Japanese), but earthquakes strong enough to be noticed are very rare here, and thus highly unexpected. But these days, nothing can be completely ruled out.
i heard that 1.6 million people felt their first earthquake with that one xD
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