Earthquakes

Earthquake DOES Jolt Costa Mesa: Update

See the update at the end of this post about the earthquake that struck Costa Mesa at 1:39 p.m. today.ORIGINAL POST, JUNE 4, 1:47 P.M.: Did anyone else just feel that?About five minutes ago, I felt a quick jolt under my feet followed by what sounded like someone running across my roof.Someone on the ... More >>

Is Hurricane Isaac and Quake Swarm God's Wrath for Not Nominating Rick Santorum?

Before we get to the shakers, if no one else has yet, may I be the first to blame Southern California's earthquake swarms and Hurricane Isaac on God's wrath for the Republicans nominating Mitt Romney over Rick Santorum?Or, perhaps the King of Kings is an Obama man and he's just pissed at the GOP for ... More >>

[UPDATED with Sharp A.M. Jolt:] Quake Rolls Through Yorba Linda ... to Yawns

See update at the end of this post about a sharp jolt that just hit at 9:33 a.m.ORIGINAL POST, AUG. 8, 8:59 A.M.: So I'm watching the end of a season one Damages episode via Amazon last night--keep an eye out for that Ted Danson kid, he's quite an actor--and what felt like an invisible train rolled ... More >>

[UPDATED with God's Motive:] 3.9 Earthquake Shakes OC

UPDATE, APRIL 20, 11:20 A.M.: In addition to shaky stories, we should share with one another the reason God punished us with this earthquake--because as Pat Robertson will tell you, there can be no other reason for seismic activity than a vengeful deity. Gay marriage? The ACLU caravan coming to Sant ... More >>

KFC in Thailand Issues Apology After Tsunami Facebook Update

There are times when it would be appropriate for a fast food chicken restaurant like KFC to remind people to pick up a bucket of chicken on a Facebook update. Sometime this Friday, April 20th, when certain segments of the population will get the munchies, for instance, would be quite opportune--and ... More >>

Two Earthquakes Strike Southern California

Feel that? The end is near.​Two 3.0-plus earthquakes rocked Southern California in a recent 14-hour period.According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the last one, a 3.5 "shallow" strike, hit just before 9 a.m. today in the mountains near Coachella.A Palm Springs newspaper is reporting that resident ... More >>

[UPDATED with Removal of 100 Trees:] Can Death Be Blamed on Last Week's Small Earthquake?

​UPDATE, SEPT. 21, 9:45 A.M.: Whether or not a small earthquake earlier in the day caused a 10-ton Blue Gum Eucalyptus to fall and crush to death Haeyoon Miller on Thursday afternoon, the city of Newport Beach is cutting down 100 more trees in the same area.The city announced Tuesday evening that ... More >>

[UPDATED with Corrected Day, New Earthquake:] Today's UC Irvine Chaos and Mayhem was Expected

​UPDATE, SEPT. 15, 7:23 A.M.: Um, you know those emergency exercises at UC Irvine I reported were happening Wednesday? Major brain fart: the drills are actually TODAY. Just apply the details from the original post on the next page to today, Thursday. But, here's the weird thing: when I thought&nbs ... More >>

4.3 Earthquake Rattles Los Angeles: A Dispatch from the Burbank Bureau:

Was that a foreshock?​There's nothing more disconcerting than those first moments of an earthquake. Is this the Big One? Is it going to get worse?When you're almost 30 stories up in a building that's attached to bedrock (as I was), even a small earthquake, like the 4.3 earthquake that struck Newha ... More >>

Abandoned Goldfish Survives 134-days After New Zealand Earthquake

Flickr User kztk​So 134 days after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, it was discovered that two goldfish left behind in a 26-gallon tank inside an area declared off-limits survived without being fed or a working filter.

Stakes Raised in Re-Licensing San Onofre Nuke Plant

​The folks who run the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS)--and by "folks" I mean "Southern California Edison," or simply "SCE"--can't be happy with what's happening at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant up the coast near San Luis Obispo. Both plants were built in active earthquake zo ... More >>

Benefit Show for Japan

Alex's Bar

Haven Gastropub's Fundraiser for Japan

​On Monday, March 28, Haven Gastropub will host a fundraising event and contribute 100% of profits to the survivors of the Japanese earthquake disaster.Employees are donating their time and all of their gratuities from 11 a.m to 2 a.m. Last year, Haven customers raised nearly $11,000 for a similar ... More >>

Black Eyed Peas, Blink-182, Simon Cowell and More Host Benefits for Japan Via Shows, T-Shirts, Albums, Vids, Tweets

​In the wake of the unfathomable disaster in Japan, musicians are showing their support through benefit shows, merch and other creative endeavors, rallying fans to help the country. Their efforts can make a real impact--Gaga's Japan-relief wristbands raised $250,000 in just 48 hours.  Here's ... More >>

San Onofre Nuke Plant Needs Inspection Now, Say Senators Boxer and Feinstein

​One of the terrible ironies of the unfolding nuclear crisis in Japan is that two of the reactors that are overheating weren't even turned on when the earthquake and tsunami occurred. What sparked their meltdowns weren't the reactors, which were cool, but rather the toxic waste being stored next t ... More >>

How the Video Game Community Is Responding to Japan's Quake Disasters

Masahiro Sakurai's TwitterA photo by Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai shows empty Tokyo streets after the earthquake​With the death toll rising above 10,000 people, 88,000 people reported missing and the threat of numerous nuclear meltdowns, Japan is facing its worst national catastrophe since World ... More >>

Japan Quake Disaster Raises Fears and Charity in OC

Photo by Airman John D. Partlow/U.S. Air ForceDisplaced commercial airline passengers take shelter inside Taiyo Community Center on Friday.​Those following the epic horrors playing out across the Pacific are aware that the 8.9 magnitude earthquake has been officially declared the worst catastrophe ... More >>

Storm of Biblical Proportions as Likely as Big Quake

​Screw the "Big One": a coming storm of biblical proportions may prove to be an even greater threat to Southern California than a mega-earthquake along the dreaded San Andreas fault.So say more than 100 scientists and experts gathered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to create an "ARkStorm Sce ... More >>

UCI Scientists Shake Up History Channel's Megaquake 10.0, But Is 'Big One' Threat Real?

USGS​Two UC Irvine scientists are among the experts featured in tonight's world-premiere showing of Megaquake 10.0 on the History Channel. The two-hour special is set to shake up your flat-screen at 9 p.m., but, as Fritz and Fred always say, check local listings to confirm the time.The UCI academi ... More >>

Major Quake Hoax Shakes Up Twitter, Facebook

​Scientists agree an earthquake early warning system is close to being a possibility, but everyone agrees the messages posted on Twitter and Facebook about a major California quake happening some time over the next few days is bullshit."Fake California 'Earthquake Warning' Currently Scaring Idiots ... More >>

Will Wyclef Jean Get to Run for Haiti President as One of 30 Candidates?

www.myspace.com/wyclefjean​ Today the Haitian elections board will decide whether Wyclef Jean is eligible to run for the country's presidency. There's a five consecutive year Haitian residency requirement for candidates, but Jean has said his roving ambassador stint by President Rene Preval in 200 ... More >>

Wyclef Jean Filed Papers to Run for President of Haiti

www.myspace.com/wyclefjean​We knew it was official; Wyclef Jean did tell Time Magazine he was running for president of Haiti after weeks of rumors yesterday. But a few minutes ago, the AP reported that Jean has filed the paperwork to run for president of Haiti at an electoral council office i ... More >>

How to Predict an Earthquake with a Doughnut

​There is a sweet new way to predict earthquakes and it's making waves throughout Southern California. Many scientists believe that predicting earthquakes is still impossible, but the Mogi Doughnut seems more credible than the Quake Quack's theory. Colorful charts do not a seismologist make. Acco ... More >>

Is "Quake Quack" Behind Bold Prediction of a Significant SoCal Shaker This Week?

QuakePrediction.com​Twitter is all a-twitter with the revelation that a big earthquake will hit Southern California some time today through Friday, but those freaking out likely have no idea that the source of the ground-shaking news has been labeled a "Quake Quack."Luke Thomas has for years made ... More >>

Return of the Swallows

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Local Muslims Step Up to Help Haiti

American Red CrossA Haitian man in temporary shelter receives earthquake relief in a box.​Orange County Muslims on Friday plan to ship out to Haiti a 40-foot container full of clothes, medicine, medical equipment, bottled water and other basic necessities.

40 in 4 Haiti Releif Fundraiser

El Dorado Park

New UCI Research Will Have You Looking at Earthquakes and Lawns Differently

UC Irvine researchers have discovered new ways to look at earthquakes and your front lawn. No, not how shakers rip up your green playground. We're talking one study that dispels notions about how experts estimate the potential for the next so-called "Big One," and a second that disproves the idea th ... More >>

OC-Based Rescue Team Members Talk About Their Canceled Trip to Haiti

Photo by Jim FraserBruce Newell (left) and Bob Scheibel (right) on duty as reserve firefighters at OCFA station 16 in Modjeska.​Structural engineer Bob Scheibel is no stranger to disaster. On Sept. 11, 2001, he was flown to Ground Zero on the only flight across U.S. skies that night, to help stabi ... More >>

Racist OC Register Fustercluck of the Day

​Headline: Haiti Earthquake Hits Home in OCComment by sangell3: Haiti's leading export product was once human blood. Then AIDS came and the market for Haitian blood evaporated. Don't know how you can help a country like this. We can rebuild it but it will start to decay as soon as we leave. T ... More >>

Website Predicts When Next Earthquake Will Hit

InternationalProtectionConsulting.comHow far is Kobe, Japan, from 92626 again?​"Open Hazards is a group of scientists, technologists, and business people dedicated to the proposition that, through advances in forecasting and sensor technology, as well as an open, web-based approach to public infor ... More >>

Live From Earthquake Central!

WikicommonsYou know what's funny? Earthquake coverage. To be specific: coverage of moderate earthquakes. NPR's coverage of the devastating Chengdu tremor in 2008 can be called many things, but not "funny" isn't one of them.When a 4.7 quake hits Southern California, as one did last night, you have to ... More >>

The Glory of Easter

Crystal Cathedral

Stinkin' Royal George Brett Buys Angels Farm Team

The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, which has been an Angels farm team since 2001, has been sold to a group led by Bobby Brett and his former Kansas City Royals Hall of Famer brother, George Brett. Majority owner Hank Stickney of Valley Baseball Club Inc., which moved the Quakes to Rancho Cucamonga from ne ... More >>

Rockin' Like a 6.0

NASCAR Pepsi 500

Earthquake Strikes So Cal

Just before noon this morning, an earthquake rocked Southern California--Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles. From the fifth floor of OC Weekly's Santa Ana headquarters, the 5.8** magnitude quake felt like I was standing on a rocking waterbed for at least 12 seconds. The build ... More >>

"California's Queer Quake"

About 75 minutes after this morning's Southern California earthquake, Reverend Wiley Drake named the seismic event, "the California Queer Quake," and announced via email to his nationwide followers that "another queer quake [is] trying to get California's attention." Won't you listen, damn it? "Th ... More >>

Friday's Headlines & Surprises

No, really? You can finally relax. The Coastline Pilot decided it was time to voice its opposition to alcohol consumption by teenagers. “Drinks, teens shouldn't mix,” the Los Angeles Times-owned community paper serving Laguna Beach declared today. And just in case readers didn't comprehend the ... More >>

Mother Nature gone wild

"Wild" seems to be the word of choice among headline writers to describe yesterday's weather. The LA Daily News bucked the trend, going with "Crazy", but for the most part, editors across the country agree, it was wild. Of course, in the impressive natural events category, yesterday's weather, wil ... More >>

We're doomed, doomed...

… or maybe not. The AP reports: Evangelical broadcaster Pat Robertson said Tuesday that God has told him that a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a "mass killing" late in 2007. "I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he said during his news-and-talk television ... More >>

Hear The Earth Move

Via the excellent BLDGBLOG: German artist Florian Dombois translates the subaudible sound of plate tectonics into something the human ear can hear, revealing unique geological characteristics of brewing earthquakes around the planet. Says Dombois: Usually seismic waves have a frequency spectrum b ... More >>

Shake and Break

'State of Emergency: Disaster Response in California'

Shake n' Bake

It's been funny--not funny ha-ha--sitting here on the sidelines watching the changing global-warming debate. While the international scientific community for years has piled voluminous report atop voluminous report detailing that global warming is real, producing all sorts of climatic problems and e ... More >>

Indonesian Earthquake Relief

For anyone interested in helping the victims of the massive earthquake in Java, globetrotting raconteur and author of the forthcoming Prisoner of Trebekistan, Bob Harris has helpfully posted on his blog a list of charities assisting the survivors. Bob's post also touches on some of the questions you ... More >>

Cross that bridge when you come it, if it's still there

Only 6 days after the San Francisco Chronicle first reported on it and 5 days after The Blotter first noted it, the Los Angeles Times today informs its readers about the state of California's bridges. The state: hundreds of bridges are considered at risk of collapsing during a major earthquake becau ... More >>

Earthquake weather or whatever...

Yesterday, as Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was submitting to a public humiliation ritual before a Senate committee, his only punishment for letting New Orleans drown (in other countries, such incompetence would result in dismissal from office and permanent disgrace, but in the land o ... More >>

Letters

We (Almost) Have Ignition

Vesuvius steams majestically, doesnt erupt

Foster-Child Meat

Californias Republican make-over