Re: PNW quake

["[R. E. Stannard Jr.]" stannard@xxxxxxxx]

The quake was felt strongly enough in Bellingham -- 88 miles north of
Seattle -- to empty some downtown offices, especially in multi-storied
buildings, but was unfelt by either my wife at home or me as I walked
briskly down a business district sidewalk. I must have sounded stupid when
I stopped one wide-eyed bystander and asked "Is something going on?"
No damage reported hereabouts. (Just not our fault, I guess...)

On the other hand, my sisterinlaw in Port Moody, B.C., east of Vancouver
and some sixty miles north of here, heard thir roof tiles rattling and
went out to see if something was up there. So the vibes apparently focus
differently according to location and terrain.

Gotta do better keeping my ear to the ground ....

Anyone who worked in the old UPI offices in Tokyo on the top floor of the
old Mainichi Building (since replaced) was briefed early on the difference
between the building-jarring start-up of the paper's presses and a quake
indicator deserving a call to the seismology folk for confirmqation
and a bulletin.

All it took was a quick glance at the flourescent lights hanging overhead.
If they were swinging, it was a quake. In fact the building and those
lights were so quake-sensitive that on occasion the seismic station folk
were unaware until they checked their machines.

				Ted Stannard