2008-03-21

Update: WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!

We're all going to die..

I know I've mentioned it before (here and here for instance), but the Hayward Quake is going to kill us all.

The USGS released a new report this week which I am too terrified to link to. Something like $160 billion worth of damage. Something about transportation being down for months. Something about 2.4 million people without water---

It's that last one that really bothers me. Especially coupled with the transportation issue.

The last five 6.8+ Hayward earthquakes have occurred every 140 years.

The last one was on October 21, 1868. Care to do that math for me? I'ld rather not think about it.

So! We need to get water. Yes. Okay. Lots of it. Right. And pronto. Okay. Yes. Okay. Right. And we had better get started now.

Because, honestly, I don't expect to die from the shaking. But if transportation is as bad as expected, what about, say, riots? People need food and water. We have a bunch of quinoa, but I don't know how to cook it. And, well, we need water.

It's not a terribly PC thing to say, but that doesn't stop the recurring observation that this could well be worse than Katrina.

Put that in your happy pipe and smoke it.

Unless you're a teetotaler like me. In that case, just let it keep stewing in your brain, driving you mad.

What other choice've we got?

12 comments:

  1. It's times like these I don't mind living in Tornado Alley. With huge big rivers nearby.

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  2. Oh, not everyone will die. Especially those who have decided Diet Coke is more essential to their existence than water ;)

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  3. We've got plenty of water right next to my house. It's called the SF Bay. What I need is a cheap, portable desalination/purification unit.

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  4. I have to disagree with conf. Everyone will die. You can't argue with that.

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  5. Ergo we don't need water.

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  6. RC, maybe you can skip food storage too and just catch some mercury-laden bay fish instead ;)

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  7. I'm so glad I'm moving to California.

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  8. You do need water. Because you boil quinoa in it--like rice. And it has a little sprout in it and looks like a tiny, clear bubble when it's cooked. It's very cool.

    So--get water, for sure.

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  9. Mmm, quinoa.

    I guess I should be glad that Berkeley rejected me. Yet another reason for you guys to move to Davis and join our co-op...

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  10. .

    You'll still feel it in Davis--you just will suffer years of pain rather than the immediate death those of us closer to the action are anticipating.

    RC: You get a desalination unity, you might also want to get a gun. If the angry hordes head your way, you'd best be prepared.

    One of the reasons I've always claimed to prefer earthquakes is because they're a surprise--you can't see them coming.

    Curse you, modern seismology! Curse you!

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  11. Here in Utah, we keep water on tap, so I'm good (hyuck hyuck hyuck).

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  12. At least you know when yours is coming...

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