MyQuest

Earthquakes

So, KGOU just reported about two more minor earthquakes in the area.  Lately there have been many reports of minor earthquakes around here.  Last year we had one that was strong enough to actually rattle some folk, I think it was a 3. 

Years ago I read that Oklahoma has on average 200 earthquakes a year, all of them pretty minor.  The river/lake region in Eastern Oklahoma is a fault and connected to the New Madrid system.  I remember back in middle school when reports came out about the potential for an 8.0 on the New Madrid (like there had been in the 19th century) and how it would devastate the region (which is unprepared for such an earthquake) and probably redirect the flow of the Mississippi (which has been redirected many, many times throughout its history (trying to squeeze it into levies is a futile act of hubris, as is being demonstrated again right now)).

But I've never heard local news report on earthquakes like I have recently.  Maybe they just want something else to talk about.  Maybe tornados are getting boring or something.

Yet, it still raises a little concern for me.  Given all the natural disasters this year and the incompetence of our government to cope with most of them, the thought of a major earthquake in the center of the country is a disquieting thought.

Miami & Picher: The Ecology

Last year Miami experienced its worst flood since 1952.  The 2007 flood did not get as high as the 52 flood, but did more damage because there were more homes and businesses in the flood plain. 

Until the early 80's there had not been a significant flood since 52.  There were three major ones in the 80's and 90's, but nothing as big as '07.  The floods have contributed to the declining economy since our plant closed in '86, though there is much new development supporting the casino industry.

I felt that the entire town looked less kept up than it used to.  Huge areas are overgrown or dirty.  Friends of mine still in town said that many people have just given up.

To me the ecology of the region appears different.  Miami always seemed part of the grasslands of the north and west and less like the hill and forest country that lie directy to the east and south.  But that seems different now.  Miami felt and looked to me more like a river town.  The landscape seemed more river bottom landscape.  It felt more like towns along the Mississippi do to me.  Maybe it was always like that and I just never realized it, but I don't think so.  I think the ecology of the region is changing and the rivers and creeks are asserting (or reasserting) their dominance over the landscape.

Picher has long looked bad.  Population decline and poverty took its toll.  The remains of the mining industry created the odd, alien landscape that we later learned was the worst environmental disaster in US history.  So, take a landscape already suffering and send a major tornado over it.  And what results is one of the most surreal landscapes I've ever seen.  The pictures and videos do not do it justice, you just have to see it. 

Last Night's Storms

Last night's tornados were not near our home, but it was still a little nerve-wracking when the straight line winds and "wall of water" hit the house. Michael and I were sitting together on the couch watching the tv weather reports. More than once we looked out the windows when we heard loud, ominous sounds.

Today, during my walk, I got to see the damage in our neighborhood. Limbs down. A collapsed fence. A few trees uprooted, including one of the old ones in my favourite grove in Edgemere Park (all of the trees in this grove survived the ice storm). I spent some time touching the tree and walking around it, grieving its loss.

A block away from our house a tree uprooted and came down on a house. That must have been one of the noises we heard.

Ever since the ice storm so many trees are weakened and misshapen and each major wind storm does more damage. The sadness continues.

Signs of Life and Hope

As I took my morning walk, I was surprised to see the virginal, white blooms of the Bradford Pears. Those were new this morning. And a surprise, because it had appeared in the December ice storm that the Bradford Pear population had been almost annihilated. Yet, a few held on. And their early blooms are a sign of springtime life and hope. Makes one feel like Easter is just around the corner.

World Clock

Here's an interesting website. A World Clock that counts the number of births, deaths, barrels of oil pumped, and other statistics. Push the now button and watch the numbers climb dramatically. You'll be surprised how many things occur in one minute.

It's So Sad

I just returned from my morning walk, surprised to learn that it is bitter cold again after two incredibly warm days. But that's not what I'm sad about.

The clean up after the devastating ice storm has been going in stages. Last week the city removed many of the limb piles in the neighborhood, though they still haven't collected all of them. And residents are still working on cleaning up and taking out the trees that didn't survive.

Edgemere Park, around which I walk in the mornings, has gone in stages. First they cleaned up the streets around it. Then they worked on taking down the precarious limbs and collecting everything along the edge of the park. Most of that has been picked up.

Yesterday they went through and cut down all the seriously damaged trees. And it was shocking to see today how many that was. This relatively woody park looks naked now. And many that came down were old trees. Fortunately the grove that has a sacred feel for me (see my sermon "Filled with the Spirit" from June 2006) seems to have survived completely.

Normally my morning walk fills me with peace and a sense of beauty. Not today.

Good Darfur News

New reservoir discovered in Darfur that could help with the environmental disaster there that has precipitated the human disaster. Read more here.

Going up . . .

$3.49 is the highest for 87 octane that I saw today. Over night the prices rose from $3.24 to $3.34 in Stillwater. They are $3.29 in OKC.

$3.24!

Gasoline yesterday shot up to $3.24 here. That's for the most basic level. Premium levels were around $3.50. Yesterday alone it increased around 12 cents. Shocking. We are well above the national average, which is very strange. Friends in places like New York and New Jersey have said that they are paying less for gas. That never happens! If it stays this way, it will ruin summer plans.

Mohler on how to treat gay fetuses

I had not seen this until attention was drawn to it by the Equality Ride. Al Mohler on March 2 blogged about how gay fetuses should be treated if a test is developed that will determine their orientation:

8. If a biological basis is found, and if a prenatal test is then developed, and if a successful treatment to reverse the sexual orientation to heterosexual is ever developed, we would support its use as we should unapologetically support the use of any appropriate means to avoid sexual temptation and the inevitable effects of sin.

I wrote about this topic in early February. See here. And have been planning to preach about it on Trinity Sunday. Now Mohler's blog has made that sermon even more important.