Codezwiz >> Forums >> The Board >> Earthquake in Asia puts things in perspective.

I know this isn't a usual CZ topic, but sometimes we just have to look away from the code and the databases to see what's going on in the real world.

The earthquake and the resulting tsunami in Asia may end up being responsible for over 150,000 deaths. The sheer power of this event is difficult to imagine. It measured 9.0 on the Richter scale. It shifted some islands in the region by 30 meteres.
Perhaps the most impressive fact is that it forced one tectonic plate beneath the edge of another, thereby making the planet slightly more compact, and tilting it by one inch on it's axis. This results in the Earth spinning slightly faster, and shortening days by a fraction of a second.

I don't know about you guys, but I find that this kind of global event can help put things into perspetive as we go through our own little crisis's every day. That quake could just as easily hit in California, or any of the tectonic hotspots around the world. You just never know what's around the corner.

makes ya think how fleeting life can be and hopefully wake you up to realize the more important things in life

Me and my kids were discussing this lastnight, how easy it is to get all caught up in our own little trivial matters sometimes. Then something like this happens and it really does open your eyes. Makes you do some serious soul searching for sure. Horrible tragedy.

When something like this happens somewhere on the other side of the planet, it's just news on the television. Because it didn't directly affect us, most of us will go on about our lives as if it never happened at all. We never stop to think about how lucky we really are.

Stop and imagine the number of people who lost their lives. Those aren't just numbers, they are people that are no longer living, breathing, walking, talking, smiling, crying, etc. Try to imagine 30 people in a room. Then multiply that 5000 times! That's more than the populations of some cities in the US!

Recently, a waterline broke in a town close to us and people had to boil their water for a couple of days. The public outcry over the inconvenience was incredible. Imagine that multiplied by whole countries that now have undrinkable water.

When it all comes down to it, it makes ya feel pretty selfish.

Alot of the peole that died aren't gonna be identified, alot were washed out to sea. I feel so much for those families that will never be able to bury their dead, whatever their traditions may be.

I'm not trying to be a doomsayer but, I don't think this will be an isolated event. I think this planet is in a cycle where it's changing. Tempatures are rising globally. The tectonic plates took a beating with this quake and I think there will be more to come. everything can't be stable after that kinda movement.

Check back later... New Mountain Ranges On The Way!

J/K but, can u imagine the force that would be exerted by the plates pushing up a new mountain range?

Events like this remind me how insignificant we really are on the cosmic scale!

Why can't we take the resouces that each country is using to spy, decieve, and make war with and concentrate on getting off of this rock and find another that we haven't had a chance to destroy and learn from our mistakes. I mean we fight eachother over the stupidist things. Hey I know... Let's drill another hole through the plates and get a core sample. That should be good for it huh?

I can't help thinking you're right there. Everything is in a finely balanced state, a knock like that will surely start something off.

Ya i was watching TV and that came on, at first i switched it off, then later in the day i was so bored i watched it, then i couldn't believe what had happened, in bed there were really strong winds outside, nothin to do with it, but it made me think, it could happen to anyone.....

then i just got freaked out so I went to bed lol

But i woke up alive, which would be a lot for some people there + Africa (going off the topic).

Gareth

2nd quake reported 2day in the same region. I think it was a 6.9 on the Richter Scale.

omg, another one?

Bill O'Reilly was talking about it. No wave this time tho