What really is impressive in the quake

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

I would also incorperate population. Japan per land mass, has a much larger population liveing in available land space than does Ireland. So I suggest it's a combination of population size and location. I suppose it could also be how Asians think compared to how Irish think..Irish are nuts.I know..I am part Irish...we's crazy.

lol... Now you're just making sh*t up.

So basically the island theory works if you ignore all the contradictions to it that exist in time/space.

[ColinHowell]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

The one thing I found that was interesting...The amount of energy released by that 9.0 is the amount of energy the US consumes in a month. Every year the US consumes the equaliant of 12 9.0 earthquakes and the devestation resulting there in.

Actually, that's just the "radiated seismic energy": the amount of energy released in surface shaking, the stuff that damages buildings and such. Although that energy actually seems to be a smaller fraction of the US's annual energy consumption: around 1%, or only a few days worth. On the other hand, if you imagine taking several days' energy usage of a continent-sized developed country and packing that into a few minutes' shaking of a restricted region, it does seem like it might be pretty devastating. So, yeah, if you just count the shaking, rather than the event that caused it, that comparison makes sense.

But the total energy released in the earthquake was far bigger, by roughly 200,000 times. That amount of energy is roughly equivalent to Earth's entire fossil fuel reserves, or the sunlight energy that hits Earth in a day. Only a tiny fraction of the earthquake's energy went into shaking; the vast majority went into breaking the rock along the locked fault and physically moving the plates. (Think of a car's engine; only a tiny amount of its power goes into engine noise and vibration.)

[ColinHowell]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

Then on what grounds does your island theory stand?

Even a brief knowledge of the history of Ireland proves it bogus.

Not to mention Britain, which has actually been a pretty violent place for much of its history.

[Crazyanimefan666]

Originally Posted by Ryzorian

The amount of energy released by that 9.0 is the amount of energy the US consumes in a month.

Can I please get hold of the source of your claim? I think it's absurd US could in any conceivable way capable of consuming that amount of energy... in only one month.

You are fully aware this earth quake is 10k nuclear bomb Equivalent aren't you? Just how many power-stations would be needed to prop the entire country up?

[Ryzorian]

USA Today was the source, and it was the shakeing aspect of it, not the geological forces underlaying the cause of it.

[tokusatsufan]

Originally Posted by ColinHowell

Not to mention Britain, which has actually been a pretty violent place for much of its history.

Not now though. When I went to London I expected knife crime on every street and maybe a terrorist or two. Neither happened. The news in this country makes out the worst possible thing will happen.

[Ryzorian]

I have no idea what you just said.

[otaku4life]

the difference between what happed in the aftermath of the quake and what happen in the aftermath of Katrina is the fact that Japanese are not taught that they are victims by the liberal public school system that they are victims based on the color of their skin. And the people live with the fact that quakes could happen at any time and are prepared to deal with them

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by otaku4life

the difference between what happed in the aftermath of the quake and what happen in the aftermath of Katrina is the fact that Japanese are not taught that they are victims by the liberal public school system that they are victims based on the color of their skin. And the people live with the fact that quakes could happen at any time and are prepared to deal with them

I'm pretty sure the fiasco in Katrina was caused by the inaction by the government to do anything about it.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by otaku4life

the difference between what happed in the aftermath of the quake and what happen in the aftermath of Katrina is the fact that Japanese are not taught that they are victims by the liberal public school system that they are victims based on the color of their skin. And the people live with the fact that quakes could happen at any time and are prepared to deal with them

Just curious, which courses were the victims of Katrina taking in school that taught them they were victims based on the color of their skin. Had these courses been taught for generations?