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Friday, January 28, 2022

Open Thread: What a 9.0 Earthquake Sounded Like in Alaska plus a Friday Summary of Events

National Oceanic and Aeronautics Organization (NOAA) does regular scientific research all over Alaska but especially in the wildlife and Arctic areas. They frequently use sophisticated underwater recording equipment to gather information on marine mammals:

However, on March 11, 2011 off of the coast of the Aleutian Islands, they happened to catch the sound of something very different…the 9.0 Japanese earthquake.

The sound underwater was absolutely facinating while at the same time it gave me goosebumps.
It’s amazing to me how clearly it can be heard, though I have occasionally heard a rumble or kind of rushing sound just preceding several of the larger earthquakes I’ve experienced. I remember one 7.5 that started in the ocean south of Valdez actually made cracking and groaning sounds.

For further discussion…we have lots of stuff going on in our sunny-and-getting-warmer state today:

— The State Legislature is in overdrive trying to get business done before the April 17th deadline. However, it looks like we may be heading to “A Very Special Session” in order to get the budget hashed out. Who knew that have billions of surplus dollars could be so stressful?

— The Alaska Redistricting Board posted several draft proposals late on April 13th, proving that the 4-out-of-5 Republican board members took advantage of their majority. Alaska gained over 80,000 people according to the 2010 Census, and rural Alaska lost population which means the urban areas were the recipients of the new Alaskans. Yet, one of the drafts manages to TAKE AWAY influence from Anchorage, giving it to several of the more conservative rural areas. As Representative Guttenberg said, whose progressive college campus district would be split up in a plan, the final decision is going to rest with the courts.

— Absentee/question Municipality of Anchorage Election ballots arriving after April 4th and up until today’s deadline are being counted as we speak at City Hall. The two races to watch: Pat Higgins’ slim lead over the mayor’s hopeful Bob Griffin in the Anchorage School Board Seat D race and teabagger Adam Trombley’s lead over incumbent Mike Gutierrez for the East Anchorage Assembly Seat. There should be results at 5:00 pm. (**Update** They may not be done until about 10:00 pm) (**UPDATE**) It’s official now — Pat Higgins wins the Anchorage School Board!!!!

Unfortunately, Adam Trombley held his lead over Mike Guttierez.

How is your Friday?

Comments

comments

Comments
57 Responses to “Open Thread: What a 9.0 Earthquake Sounded Like in Alaska plus a Friday Summary of Events”
  1. fawnskin mudpuppy says:

    aw, shannyn. i’m sorry.

  2. mike from iowa says:

    I distinctly remember hearing that whale in the picture tell the tire technician she wanted the whitewalls in not out. White sidewalls make her look fat and slow.

  3. Califpat says:

    I’m so sorry Shannyn!!

  4. mo says:

    Oh, this is just awful:

    http://www.adn.com/2011/04/16/1813827/i-was-gate-raped-by-my-government.html

    Hugs, Shannon. We’ll just have to keep fighting this humiliation and powerlessness, there’s no other option.

    • mike from iowa says:

      As what passes for a man with a beard,I feel I owe Shannyn a profuse apology for what happened in the past. Since I don’t fly or use mass public transportation I likely will never be subjected to invasive abuse of the 4th Amendment. I’m not sure a hot shower will stop my skin from crawling. At the end of the day,I think the terrorists are winning with the complicity of our government. This should be required reading for everyone,especially politicians.

    • Irishgirl says:

      That is just so wrong. No one should have to go through that. I’m very sorry Shannyn.

    • benlomond2 says:

      perhaps if our goverment leaders had to endure this everytime they flew, instead of being whisked past security checkpoints with their VIP privileges, there would be some changes made quickly.

      • mike from iowa says:

        I doubt it. They have the need to feel like they are putting one over on the public and it makes them feel superior.

  5. Zyxomma says:

    I’m in the chatroom should anyone wish to join me.

  6. dreamgirl says:

    Anyone remember the old margarine ads on TV: “It’s not nice to mess with Mother Nature”.

    Ha. That was yesterday’s big-business msg, now it seems to be: “Tough Beans Buddy! WallSreet is the new sheriff if town… Congresscritters- ‘Bow Down, to your keeper’. Voters are just floatsam and ankle-bitters to us: Titan’s of the Universe(who will knowingly pollute and over fish and us all to extinction in our lifetime).

  7. dreamgirl says:

    BTW, we almost doubled our business from last week and today is the one month aniverssary (sp)!

    Who needs a ‘french macaroon’ with a duck confit sandwich along with their mocha latte?

  8. dreamgirl says:

    When I lived in Texas, at the age of 6 and 7, we went to Galveston every Fri. after Dad got home. From Sat. morning till Suday dusk, my sis and I swam till our fingers were ‘pruned’ and we were dark as mahogany stained wood. We learned fast the power of Mother Nature: if the wave crashes down on you unexpectedly be prepared to kiss the seashells while being pummeled by the wave who crashed on you and hope your breathe can hold out.
    I still remember of the thunderous sound of the wave crushing my small body against the sea bottom and always remember the sage advice of the 8 year olds: ‘Dive into the wave if you can’t ride it… dive into the wave’.

    Now I sometimes have dreams of a Tsunami… I see it in the distance and I am on a sandbar trying to judge if i will be lucky enough to ‘ride the this huge wave or have to dive into this forceful wave I don’t know if I will survive. Japan and all her people have my love.

    (I can’t BELIEVE my parents let us brave the Gulf of Mexico unattended! We swam with sharks!!!! Swam till the people on the beach were the size of ants… as a 6 and 7 year old.) Times have changed, but I met Mother Nature 1st hand as a young one and bow down to her! She is awesome and can wipe out the arrogance of man in a Heartbeat! Better respect our elders.

  9. mike from iowa says:

    Imagine-just over 8 months until Christmas is upon us once again.Where does the time go?

  10. bubbles says:

    Wisconsin anti unon Tea Rally starring Sarah Palin draws huge crowd, unfortunately two-thirds of the crowd were pro unionists.

    http://www.politicususa.com/en/sarah-palin-wisconsin-rally

    • mike from iowa says:

      That’s rilly good news from Cheeseland. I wonder how she’ll edit the tapes to make the crowd all hers?

    • Baker's Dozen says:

      All together now:

      The Cheese turns blue;
      The Cheese turns blue;
      Hi ho the dairy-o,
      The Cheese turns blue.

      SP stands alone;
      SP stands alone;
      Hi ho the dairy-o,
      SP stands alone.

      Woo hoo!

  11. beaglemom says:

    I love hearing about what NOAA and other agencies, like the USGS, are doing everyday to help us understand the planet we live on and to help protect us when natural disasters occur. I also love to hear the voices of the sea creatures – what amazing languages they have. And, (also too) I love to hear the commentaries of the scientists who work for these agencies – so very knowledgeable and focused. That’s why I was furious about the House of Representatives cutting funding for both agencies – just before the earthquake and tsunami happened.

    • Krubozumo Nyankoye says:

      Nice of you to voice your support for researchers Beaglemom. There isn’t enough of it.

      BTW refering to the top of the post, that would be the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. One of the things they have accomplished was the development and refinement of doppler radar which enables them to accurately and swiftly identify tornados and give timely warnings. No real value to that kind of federal spending, no siree.

      • leenie17 says:

        Who needs systems that can warn people of approaching tornadoes? They’re just about as useless as those silly volcano or tsunami warning systems. After all, we don’t have tornadoes, volcanoes or tsunamis in this country, do we?

        Oh yeah, that’s right, 17 people were killed by more than 200 tornadoes that hit in the midwest and south over the past three days. How many more would have died if that doppler hadn’t spotted the storms and the sirens hadn’t warned them to seek shelter?

        And how many planes would have gone down if the volcano monitoring hadn’t warned the airlines of the ash clouds from Redoubt last year?

        And how many people who died as a result of the quake in Alaska in 1964 would have survived if there were tsunami warnings back then?

        Agencies like NOAA have saved countless lives over the years by studying dangerous weather and other natural phenomena, and developing systems that help people survive the destruction. Cutting funding to them is shortsighted and dangerous.

  12. bubbles says:

    the long awaited and much hyped Ayn Rand film Atlas Shrugged is out and the reviews are in.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    It takes a lot to get a 0% at the mass market critics’ consensus site Rotten Tomatoes. Pick an awful movie you can think of and it probably managed a 5% or maybe even a 25%. Somehow, Atlas Shrugged, Part I (yes! more to look forward to!), which opens Friday, has at this writing achieved the rare feat.

    http://www.thenation.com/blog/159963/rand-appalling-new-atlas-shrugged-movie-booed-planet

    • Zyxomma says:

      From the aforementioned article:

      Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: “The book was published in 1957, yet the clumsiness of this production makes it seem antediluvian.”

  13. Zyxomma says:

    Here’s WI (soon-to-be-former) governor getting grilled by Ohio’s own Dennis Kucinich:

    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/16/967533/-Kucinich-OWNS-Walker:-Admits-NO-savings-from-union-busting-bill

    with transcript.

    • mike from iowa says:

      Interesting transcript,thanks. Walker is telling the Congressman that workers have a”FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO CHOOSE” which said fundamental right to choose does not apply to women and abortion. Interesting dichotomy. I wonder if it is Constitutional?

  14. Irishgirl says:

    “Before completing her single term as governor of Alaska, Palin chose to quit her position.

    We think there is much to say for this approach and we hope that she will counsel Gov. Walker — and Lt. Gov. Kleefisch — to consider doing the same.

    That would save the state the expense of a recall election and steer Wisconsin government back toward sanity.”

    http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/editorial/article_7be54e77-1de6-5a6d-8f1e-0c94d5f2b1d6.html

    • boodog says:

      I hope you took your vitamins and got a good night’s sleep, Irishgirl- it looks like a full day ahead 🙂
      (what would we do without your great watchdog skills?)

      • Irishgirl says:

        Thanks Boo. I’m all geared up and ready to go. 🙂

        “MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Hundreds of pro-union labor supporters are surrounding smaller groups of tea party members waiting for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to appear outside the Wisconsin Capitol.

        Palin is slated to speak at the tea party’s annual tax day rally.

        But labor supporters still smarting from the passage of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s polarizing bill eliminating most public employees’ collective bargaining rights are drowning out Palin’s supporters, shouting, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Scott Walker’s got to go.” 🙂

        Can’t post link as it goes into moderation.

        • boodog says:

          The traffic cameras here are aimed at the rally-

          http://www.channel3000.com/localvideo/index.html?v=live

          IF anyone wants to watch.. 🙂

          • Zyxomma says:

            I’m sure there will be coverage of what I want to see, but right now, there’s a mousy blonde from (Koch front group) AFP, quacking into the microphone. I’ll go back later, maybe.

        • Laurie says:

          I betcha right now she is trying to figure out how to get out of going on that cold wet stage.

          If she has to cover up her bumpit will she lose her power?

          • Irishgirl says:

            She spoke, or rather screamed. The decibel level was truly awful and she lied about everything as usual, taking constant potshots at PO.

            I don’t like her.

  15. Irishgirl says:

    “It should be an interesting convergence of forces on the Capitol Square today, as the first farmer’s market of the year plays host to Sarah Palin and a crowd of Tea Party demonstrators. To make things even more exciting, liberal groups are planning a counter-protest on the King St. side of the Capitol. All of this will take place in miserably wet, cold weather.”

    http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=33211

  16. mike from iowa says:

    Investigators have discovered the bacteria that causes Legionnaires disease in a hot tub at Playboy Mansion,which caused scores of people to become ill at a fundraiser in February. This is probably the last disease I would expect to find at the Mansion. On a lighter note,it snowed overnight in NW Iowa and pristine white makes a nice contrast to Spring Green,which I was getting tired of anyway. Lilacs had a lot of little leaves out. I love the smell of Lilacs,I hope the cold doesn’t hurt them. One Texas firefighter has died fighting brush fires. I wonder if Texas Gun Grease Ball took away his union rights. He still had the right to die while doing his job. I hope all RWNJ Guvs and their political allies lose sleep thinking about the damage they are doing to every facet of society when they only cater to the rich. That is probably expecting too much from the heartless bastards.

    • mag the mick says:

      We have one historic old lilac growing here in Warren, that has been consistently cared for since it was planted in 1943. When I walk my cat Tonks in the evening, I like sneaking across the lawn of the house where it lives, and burying my nose in all the beauty for a minute or two. I haven’t been caught yet! I think lilacs and sweet peas are the sweetest scents in the world, and I sure miss my little yard in Anchorage where I had them to my heart’s content.

      • Irishgirl says:

        I love the scent from sweet peas. Night-scented stock is also gorgeous as it’s name implies.

  17. DF says:

    We once lived 1/2 block from a midwestern train track where we could hear and feel the freight trains go by a few times during the day. In the late 80’s, I thought I was having a psychic experience when I heard the same sound during an earthquake near Anchorage. It’s eerie, believe me!

  18. GoI3ig says:

    I wonder if they got their redistricting plan courtesy of Tom DeLay? How did that work out for old Tom? Oh that’s right, he’s a convicted felon now.

  19. Zyxomma says:

    This was sonically amazing, but I wish they’d played a small segment of it in real time, for contrast. Health and peace.

  20. John says:

    Interesting article in today’s Daily News. House members are not sure if they should give tax credits to the film industry for creating jobs in Alaska. It might be reckless to give our money away, they say. These are the same people falling all over themselves to give a tax cut to the oil industry. A few thousand to the film industry AFTER they have invested in Alaska is reckless, but a few billion in exchange for nothing isn’t????

  21. WakeUpAmerica says:

    The first video gave me goosebumps. Wow! How special to hear the voices of those intelligent animals. It makes me so sad that as humans, we are doing our best to destroy their habitat.

  22. leenie17 says:

    If that’s what it sounded like 900 miles away I can’t imagine what it was like to be in the middle of it.

    • mike from iowa says:

      Let’s try it this way. You wondered why Robins imbed themselves in your grille instead of flying higher up. My opinion is because their territories are small they have no need to fly very high. Robins are very territorial and feisty. Besides they land every few feet to surface-mine for yummy worms. I have tried four times to place this with your original question and it never shows up. I must be on someone’s list.

  23. Kelly says:

    How do you know they just “happened to catch the sound of something very different?” Maybe HAARP was involved and they knew it was coming because they were experimenting?

    http://www.atlanteanconspiracy.com/2011/03/japan-tsunami-caused-by-haarp.html

    http://milkhouse-mouse.blogspot.com/2008/06/western-bankers-threatened-japan-with.html

    Nick Begich is in a video on the 2nd link. Interesting stuff. AND…the capabilities of HAARP are patented. The utility includes weather modification, crowd manipulation and geophysical event creation.

    http://conspiracyrealitytv.com/nick-begich-explains-how-haarp-could-be-used-as-a-wmd-to-trigger-earthquakes-also-the-propaganda-behind-haiti/

  24. Writing from Alaska says:

    Will have to check the zounds later, but in the meantime, waiting with rapt attention to see how these last vote counts resolve….could use some encouragement after the fiasco with the Wisconsin votes…grrrrrr

  25. beth says:

    “Whoa” is right, Irishgirl! Double WHOA, even. beth.

    –Thanks for the vid, LKB – ’tis quite remarkable! b.

  26. Irishgirl says:

    Whoa….that is scary.

  27. Gimme-a-break, Sarah says:

    Thanks for this video. I know what you mean about goosebumps!