Dear comment-writers on various news sites:
Earthquakes, such as the devastating one that just occurred in China, are not caused by global warming or American imperialism. In fact, idiots, earthquakes occurred long before the greenhouse effect or the U.S. even existed. The earliest recorded evidence of an earthquake dates back to 1831 BC, also in China. While earthquakes caused by human activity (specifically, the injection of fluids into deep wells for waste disposal and secondary recovery of oil, and the use of reservoirs for water supplies) have been documented, the primary cause is plate tectonics. If you don’t understand “plate tectonics,” consider searching for it on teh Interweb. I realize you’ll have to take a rare break from searching for “tit jewelry” to do that. Sometimes education demands sacrifice.
Love,
Wendy
For the rest of you:
This security camera video shows the earthquake starting at about five minutes. I was getting concerned for the receptionist, but she finally left the building. Everyone seemed to know what to do and went straight out the door. You can see how strong the quake was from the sloshing of the fish bowl.
Very scary.
If you want to write a check this very second to an aid group, I’m sure that will make you feel great but it is unlikely to do anything for people in China. Individuals who want instant karma often respond to catastrophes with frantic pledging, but how is your $50 of aid going to be distributed to the people on the ground? Beijing hasn’t even asked for aid from the U.S. government yet (as of the time I’m posting this). I think it’s best to wait and see what needs people have after the initial disaster is dealt with.
I’m pretty liberal but it drives me crazy, too, when people attribute absolutely EVERYTHING to George Bush or evil corporations. Sometimes s*** just happens. I heard on the Today show this morning that China has reached out (not specifically to the US–they’ve said that they’ll gladly accept aid from any country). That was a very sad story.
hahahaha i love your note.
gotta love amerr’ca
People used to blame earthquakes on God’s wrath, now it’s global warming.
Poor fishies! lol
Seems very scarey, can’t imagine anything like this happening here, and I’m really glad I can’t.
xoxo
No, really? There are folks who are blaming the earth quakes on global warming? Can I blame my frown lines on global warming?
Haha… i used to get scared when u get angry, but now i find it cute and funny! I know this is totally unrelated but I think your jewelries are very earth shattering though..
Weasel, I was just thinking of you because I saw a new frown line and was like, “Hey, didn’t I delegate worrying about this to Weasel? WTF!”
Lynn, no need to be scared unless you make me angry. “You won’t like me when I’m angry!” I get all green and muscle-y.
I agree completely with your note! Hilarious. We have had natural disasters on this planet for a very long time!
Naaahhh… hulk just doesn’t go along with you… you’re too cute for all that.
What IDIOT is saying George Bush causes earthquakes…how scary and bizarre…
It must be so scary during an earthcake! I would be so scared!
W is an asshole. But he cannot make an earthquake. Are people really that dumb???
Being in an earthquake is scary as hell. Especially when they happen before the sun is up, like the Northridge quake. Then of course the electricity stops working…
Miss J is holding positive thoughts for those suffering, that relief comes quickly.
Such a great, insightful post. I too am quite liberal, but feel as though people’s obsession with pointing fingers has gone way overboard…hence the term ‘natural’ disasters.
What a strange, silent video. It’s hard to credit something that looks relatively manageable on film (as opposed to say, a Hollywood earthquake movie) could be so deadly.
Thank you WB for spreading your science/fashion/natural history wisdom across the internet!
Becky
Ironically, it was the energy used pressing millions of DVDs of “An Inconvenient Truth” that caused this earthquake.
I’ve been awakened from a sound sleep by ‘quakes. Very, very freaky.
This story really depressed me, coming right on the heels of the cyclone story. So so so much devastation.
That’s so scary and I feel awful that my first thought was, “Oh gosh, that poor girl. Being a receptionist is incredibly boring…”
What a crazy video.
Don’t worry, Jenn. I thought the same thing: “This job is excrutiating!”