Hurricane Irene hits Florida, turning it into a "Federal Disaster Area" and 7+ earthquake rocks California...

Behold the Father...

Spread the Word...

It is not too late...

All things can be forgiven...

Behold the Son...

Through Him, all good things will come.

Are you suggesting that these events are signs of an impending apocalypse?

I find it rather amusing that only on Friday, there was a big ruffling of feathers about how there was an "80 percent chance that one or more damaging quakes with magnitudes of 6 to 6.7 will hit the region before 2030." (referring to S.California)

The geologists must be rather proud of their predictive abilities, though I don't think anyone thought they'd be proven correct so soon.

JMitch,

With respect to "signs of the end," among the things Jesus told us to look for was an increase in both the intensity and frequency of natural disasters. Earthquakes and famine were mentioned specifically.

Earthquakes are on the rise. The National seismic database shows the incidence of deep quakes increasing dramatically since 1946. A magnitude increase is apparent, and as deep quakes lock plates together, first a decrease, then an increase in frequency both in Richter 3+ and Richter 6+ quakes.

Quake analysis shows an El Nino Correlation, continuing in 1999, and a 1997-98 lull before the domino quake storm.

Famine is on the rise. Although there is enough food to feed the world, approximately 800 million people don't get enough to eat and approximately 40,000 die from hunger EVERY DAY now! That is mind-boggling to me!

Hurricanes are also on the rise. We had an intense period from the 1930's to the early 1970's and then it was quiet until the mis-90's. Now it looks like we're into a period of more hurricanes with increasing intensity.

I am suggesting that it is possible that this is what Jesus was referring to. As individuals, however, it does not really matter whether we each go individually with some going sooner or later than others. What matters is that we are all facing the end of physical life as we know it and we should be prepared to face God.

I have been asked to spread the Word of God before I go and that is what I am doing.

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 17, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 17, 1999).]

Hi Dave,

I could be wrong but I thought the prediction which you referred to was specifically for the San Francisco Bay area. I believe the center of this one was around 400 miles away...?

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 17, 1999).]

How many of you actually live in quake zones? I live along the San Andreas Fault and this place is ALWAYS shaking somewhere. California rests on the Pacific Plate, the edge of which is called "the Ring of Fire". There's lots of volcanic activity, which is where the name comes from. On the average, I'd say that this plate is always shaking at about 3.2 magnitude at some point along the rim. It's only when the pressure builds up in an area without adequate means of escape that we get the big ones and the whole concept of "solid ground" becomes a fantasy. An earthquake, even a big one, is not a sign of the apocalypse. It's only a sign that pressure has built up beneath the Pacific Plate in a place where it hasn't had a chance to vent itself yet. To the media, however, the "Look Out Here Comes The Big One" razzamatazz is a godsend that helps scare people into buying copy.

As for famine, let's look at eastern Africa. The land has been over-farmed with no field allowed to lie fallow (take a break from yielding nutrient-draining crops). In a desperate attempt to base their economy off of farming, they have killed their very life's blood. Tribes and villages may not migrate to more fertile grounds because of the political situations there. This is also not a sign of the apocalypse but a sign that the societal structure in that nation has fallen apart. Defenseless unarmed civilians are at the mercy of avaricious warlords in a scenario that could be taken from the days of Genghis Kahn.

Hurricanes are on the rise? It sure looks like it. But let's look at the larger picture. It's near the middle of October and I still have my fans turned on. Has anybody else been experiencing unseasonal weather? I believe the poles are in the process of shifting again. It happens as part of the life cycle of a planet. As temperatures shift to their new physical environment, air pressure is going to shift, winds will shift, and we will see a rise in weather phenomena for a while. This is not a sign of the apocalypse. It is a sign of the planet doing what it is supposed to be doing under its conditions. These things happen from time to time. We just happen to be the generation that is here when it's happening.

When the Black Plague swept Europe, they were so certain that it was the apocalypse (and not lax customs regulations) that one man wrote a letter to any generation who might survive. The letter reads like it could have been written by anyone today who believes that the end is near. It begs forgiveness from those of us who would have to live in what was sure to be a wasteland and describes the "final days" so that we might learn from the sins of our fathers. Given that we are here and life is really not as bad as the press would have us believe, I'd say that was just one of many apocalyptic doom-sayers who missed the mark. There are others, such as the Millerites, who drifted off into historical oblivion, and I will look them up if you like. Rest assured, I prophesy that the end is NOT near and the only apocalypse we are facing is if Al Gore and Dan Quayle team up and run on the same ticket. (No disrespect meant to anyone who may be a fan of these guys, but they're just such easy targets. Al Gore once claimed that he invented the Internet to which Dan Quayle replied "Yeah, right. And I invented spellchecker.")

Say, next year, are we still gonna party like it's 1999?

Oxygen,
I live about 10 miles away from Rogers Creek fault in the north bay which recently let out a little tremor. I was here 10 years ago to this day also. Like you said, an earthquake is not a sign of apocalypse. Even these ones that just happened are coincidence. Earthquakes of 6.0 and higher are common it's just that some rather large quakes have hit populated areas creating an illusion that earthquakes are somehow "on the rise".

Truestory,
I guess there are two types of belief regarding God; the manipulator, and the observer. The manipulator belief is one that always leaves me saying...what the? For God to have communicated parts of the bible, it would've had to have done so by physical means. Because if God lies outside of the universe how can it alter the inside? How can non-matter affect matter, or create it for that matter. This is pretty pointless because it just gets thrown to the "God is mysterious" pile but it's something to consider. But, what I'm alluding to is that if God is a manipulator and loves us, why would it cause the apocolypse or let it happen. I am an agnostic, but surely God must not be omnipotent in it's presumed existence. I'm also pretty sure there are passages in the bible when God has to ask people what has been going on while he was away. Wait a second...Away? well that's not the important part but that God didn't know something that his children did. So much for omniscient too.

[This message has been edited by JMitch (edited October 18, 1999).]

Given that we are here and life is really not as bad as the press would have us believe

!!!
I think the world is much worse off than the press would have you believe.

As for the earthquake thing, I live half the year in Vancouver, which is on the Pacific (there's a big fault line somewhere near here). The big concern here is that there hasn't been an earthquake for quite some time, so the next one could be very powerful. (Fortunately, I live the other half the year happily inland, far away from this earthquake-prone hellhole).

Hello Oxygen and JMitch,

Jesus did not forwarn us of "an" earthquake or even "quakes that hit populated areas." We were told that "signs of the end" would include "an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters." Earthquakes and famines were mentioned specifically. Despite the fact that there are many who understand the physical reasons as to why these things are happening now, they are happening now, and their frequency and intensity throughout the world are on the rise. The physical data is available to support this fact.

Jesus also told us that another major "sign of the end" is that the Word of God would be spread throughout the world at an unprecedented rate. The internet seem to be facilitating that, big time.

For those who heed God's warning, they realize that it is very possible that the end is near, even if it is due to natural changes, technological progress and physical planetary cycles. Science and God are not mutually exclusive.

Why would God forwarn us of such things and not do anything to prevent them? As I have said previously, God is not what we would term a "control freak." To the contrary, God has given all of us the gift of a free will to choose whether or not we wish to share in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with God for all eternity. God also came to us in the flesh, in the form of Jesus Christ, to answer mankind's questions about "the right path" to eternal salvation in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus was with us in the flesh, he also answered our questions about "signs" that the end was near. However, now, or in the end (whenever that might be), it is still up to us to decide whether or not to share in God's gift of eternal salvation. The alternative is to turn our backs on God.

Spread the word. It is not too late. All things can be forgiven. Behold the Son. Through Him, all good things will come.

765 Earthquakes have been reported in Southern California alone in the last week. More than 200 of them ocurred in the last 24 hours. There have been 4 earthquakes in the past hour.

In the past week, 178 of these quakes registered over 3 and four of these registered over 5.

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 18, 1999).]

There have been eleven earthquakes (at least) in the last hour in So Cal.

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 18, 1999).]

There have now been 803 earthquakes in So Cal in the last week. (That's 38 in the past couple of hours). Twelve in the last hour (at least) with one measuring 3.3.

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 18, 1999).]

815... and counting...

825 Earthquakes in the past week in So Cal, as of 17:06 PDT, 10/18/99.

Dave,

Today, I read that this Hector Mine area had not previously been identified as active because there is no evidence that the fault had ruptured in the past 10,000 years. The Hector Mine earthquake may therefore be considered a "rare" event... One whose occurrence could not have been anticipated based on a standard probabilistic assessment of earthquake rates. The surface rupture measured 40km long and the slip is somewhat larger than average at 4.7 meters.

838 Earthqakes recorded in the past week in So Cal as of 18:56 PDT.

Truestory, If you really want to be impressive look for a reference that shows a marked INCREASE in activity.

My purpose is to inform (rather than impress) - Would you consider a daily average of 27 per day to more than 200 per day in So Cal a marked increase?

Oops. Typo. Mea Culpa!

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 19, 1999).]

I sure would. I'm not trying to debate you, but what are the specifics of that data? Could you post me a link. thanks

[This message has been edited by JMitch (edited October 18, 1999).]

JMitch,

Here's a link: www.scecdc.scec.org/recenteqs/Maps/117-34.html (http://www.scecdc.scec.org/recenteqs/Maps/117-34.html)

There are many other sites, but I like this one because you get the reports almost in real-time.

You have to make a record of the data, though, since some of the history drops off after a while.

truestory,
that is an interesting site. however, the data does not imply that the frequency of earthquakes is increasing. It is clear that there is an above average # of quakes right now, but that's simply because of the recent large quake (aftershocks are normal and expected).

I was hoping you'd have some long-term data that shows the average # of quakes over the past several years/decades. It'd be interesting to see if there is any sort of trend upwards.

There are other sites which show global trends... I recently read that deep quakes have risen from approximately 100 to almost 600 annually over the past decade or so... At any rate, I'll post them here over the next couple of days as I do my research..

[This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 20, 1999).]

Oxygen, JMitch, and DaveW-I have a thing about earthquakes. They terrify me. How can you be so calm about the possibility of the earth shaking, and possibly opening, beneath your feet? Yikes!

Vanja-Have you ever been in a building that shakes a little when a truck rolls by? That's an average size for an earthquake in my neck of the woods. They're actually more like tremors.

The schools I went to practiced earthquake drills where an alarm would sound and we would get under our desks or else underneath a sturdy table. The biggest threat would be coming from the ceiling in the form of tiles and light fixtures, so were taught not to look up. The windows around here are actually built to shatter outwards, so they are not much of an issue to anybody indoors. We were also taught to head for doorways and interior corners. During Loma Prieta (October 1989) my house slid around on it's foundation, which caused a lot of things to fall off of shelves, but in an average sized earthquake, it's your own furniture that you have to worry about. Bookcases will topple over and kill you before the house collapses, so we molly-bolt them to the wall. They aren't going anywhere. If you're outside, head for an open space away from trees and powerlines. I've seen folks dash for the park. Whatever you do, don't go for your car. Driving during an earthquake is like driving with all four tires flat.

As far as the ground opening up and swallowing you, it's possible, but not likely. You'll have plenty of warning before it opens up wide enough. Buildings take the most damage from this kind of effect, as their foundations spilt open. In the event the ground actually DOES open up beneath you, push yourself to one side and hang on. Do not go straight down. You could get wedged, and the next tremor may start the thing closing. At least these things don't just snap shut.

Modern buildings around here are designed with earthquakes in mind. They are made of lightweight material (since we don't have to worry about tornadoes and such) and are designed to roll right along with the ground. This reduces structural damage as the building doesn't resist the quake. The pipes for gas and water are being replaced even as I write this with flexible tubing strong enought to deliver the goods but flexible enough to twist and bend with the ground.

An earthquake specialist would tell you that it's the period after the shaking stops that is the most dangerous. Things like buildings and powerlines may be ready to fall. They can come to rest with their center of gravity off-kilter and fall without a moment's notice. Some poor guy got killed when he thought to move his car away from the precariously leaning brick wall. The mere vibration of the car starting was enough to bring it down on top of him. The rescue workers on the Cypress Structure had to abandon the people trapped on the behemoth because they felt the thing shaking. Screams for help had to go unanswered for a time while tremors stopped and it quit shaking.

If you are ever in a big one (I am assuming you were not here for Loma Prieta, 7.1, which was the biggest I've ever been in) panic will be your worst enemy. Educate yourself before it happens. Know what you will need to survive, because the power can get shut off for days on end. I used to get kidded a lot because I keep odds and ends of military surplus gear around, including MRE's (rations). After the quake we set up our cots outside, checked the gas lines for everybody on the block, and had ourselves a camp-out, complete with music thanks to my portable Victrola and a stack of Big Band 78s!

Education and training can take the terror out of an earthquake, but you should never lose your fear. It keeps you alive.

I could go on forever about this subject, and I'm sure some of you feel I already have, so I'll shut up for now.

I grew up in Long Beach, and went through my share of earthquakes as a kid.

I remember one 'quake I was in (I think it was 6.something) I was playing in my bedroom with one of those Matchbox car-garages - one of those ones with the ramps and multiple levels. All my cars started falling off the top level, so I looked around. My bedroom door was swinging back & forth, my overhead light was swaying... I thought it was my dad shaking the house as a joke...until he came running in and grabbed me and took me outside. (We had a big yard with an open 'safe' spot in the middle) That memory still makes me laugh - I thought my pop was strong enough to shake our whole house! :)

I've never feared earthquakes, I guess just because I went through quite a few as a kid. Now Hurricanes - THAT's some scarey weather!!

Hello im m-cyber a armchair ufologist.My research has lead me to the bible and folklore.Here are some Very interesting verses in the bible.Please read them and tell
me what you think.(even if you dont like to
read the bible,check this out it wont hurt you.
John 8:23
Ezekiel chapter 1,9,10:1
Psalms 18:10
Sammuel 22:11
Daniel 7:9
2nd Kings 2:10,14
Isaiah 6:1-2
Genesis 15
Jeremiah 4:13
Acts 1:9-11
Numbers 13:32-33
Zechariah 5:1-2
Genesis 4:14-17 City east of eden?CITY?
This has changed my whole view on god and the
bible.Have aliens been apart of the human
species from the dawn of man?

m-cyber-I, too, have been curious about Nod, the land east of Eden. Who created it? Who lived there? Who did Cain and Seth marry? (I have a book that says (tongue in cheek)Cain and Seth married chimps, hence the theory of evolution, but given that it's entitled "Science Made Stupid"... Ah, it's a hoot of a book. I recommend it for a laugh.)

I believe that extraterrestrials have been visiting this place for quite some time. I don't believe that they are our "creators", however. I believe that when this planet was first discovered by a star-faring race, there was some interaction with the locals that led to the current systems of faith. At some point, I believe that an order was given that this planet was "hands off", and that it should be allowed to advance naturally. Scientists being what they are, however, had to study the populace's progress, hence the abduction phenomenon. Contrary to popular belief, "abductees" represent a good cross-section of society, just the sort of thing a zoologist would want from a group of social animals. Why is nobody famous ever abducted? They are under too close a watch and would be missed too quickly. The goal is natural progression, remember.

I believe that the study of this planet is a work in progress. Extraterrestrial ecologists, I imagine, have convinced their governments or whatever leadership they answer to that this planet should not be colonized and that the ground-digging apes that developed higher brains should be allowed to evolve without interference. Some, however, may be farmed out to the genetics lab, as long as they have no recollection of the incident to contaminate the project. Results of the genetic project might then be either kept in the lab or else released into the wild (if they don't look too different, as history has shown this animal type to react violently to differences in the pack).

That's a summary of my theory. I could be wrong.

------------------
I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will fight, kill, and die for your right to say it.

Oxygen,

I don't criticize out of meanness, but your theory is a bit flaky. It would sound ok if the aliens were roughly equivalent to us in intellect, scientific knowledge, analytical powers, and aspirations. But, I doubt very much that would be the case.

Our own methods of study in animal biology have advanced dramatically over the mere last couple of centuries. Scientists used to piece data together from hunter tales, and make wild conjectures based on arbitrary analogies. Now, we possess systematic methodologies; our biological science has differentiated into diverse fields, such as genetic, biochemical, developmental, ecological, behavioral, anatomical, etc. Within a century, I would expect any studies of biology to actually occur inside massive supercomputers capable of simulating entire ecosystems at biochemical levels of detail. All you would need is samples of genetic material, and then you could expediently run centuries or millennia worth of simulations on hundreds of diverse scenarios. It is hard to imagine what science will be like even within a couple of centuries from now, and even among us humans. So I'd be very careful how far I'm willing to go in conjecturing possible motivations, methodologies or actions of extraterrestrial scientists that are likely at least millennia, if not millions of years (if not billions of years!) ahead of us (even aside from the fact that they likely have entirely different, more powerful, as well as functionally unlike human, brains and sensory modalities.)

------------------
I am; therefore I think.

Well, it was just a thought. I mean, the patterns of abduction do seem to me as though an extraterrestrial Marlon Perkins is bagging and tagging specimens.

Oh, I don't know if you're old enough to remember, but Marlon Perkins hosted a weekly wildlife documentary sponsored by Mutual of Omaha, an investment/insurance firm, called "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom". The way they would knock out these animals and stick transmitters on them and in them is highly remeniscent of a typical abduction report. I can't help but wonder what the leopard told his buddies when they found him wandering around in a daze talking about strange lights from a big roaring thing, then feeling a sharp pain, getting all woozy, and waking up under a tree with an implant. :)

------------------
I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will fight, kill, and die for your right to say it.

oxy,
Thats a very good point about the tagging of
animals.Please read my post i left(you know where).

Hey, I use to watch that show "Wild Kingdom." I always thought it would be kind'a neat if one of those fierce animals got the better of Jim (remember him?) and Marlon Perkins would go on narrating "Well lucky for Jim and his dependents, they were covered by Mutual of Omaha's accidental death and dismemberment policy...you too can get this policy for yourself and your dependents..."

[This message has been edited by Peter Dolan (edited February 19, 2000).]

Peter,
more irony please, I like it!

... http://users.esc.net.au/~nitro/chef_tab.gif

How does it even matter that how and when u are going to die?? And why should it matter to us that all of us are going to die? You talk of christianity, what about other religions, and athiests??

Interesting that this thread got brought up.... The initial post made me laugh.

Well, there was a hurricane and an earthquake, but in many other parts of the world the weather was nice, the sky was gem-blue, and life was slow and perfect in the eyes of many.

Similarly, someone is going to die, perhaps I am going to die, sooner than others expect. And?

The religious implications of the thread starter made me move this thread, sorry, God commandith!

You might also like to know that Truestory (the real person behind the name) died some weeks after that post.

Cris

How did you find out that info?

I suppose he has his answers now.

Seriously Cris, you have evidence? Was it for religious reasons, thought the world was ending?

There were several posters here in those early days that knew each other outside the forums. They let us know the sad news. I don't have any further details although I believe tablariddim had some. I don't believ it was anything sinister or religious, just natural causes.

Thanks Cris - that is sad.

Re: Truestory's passing

From the archive (March 3, 2000): http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=2301

What is the difference between "Natural" and "Religious" causes? After all for u who beleieve in GOD, Does'nt GOD (finally "religious causes") control Nature ?

you know this thread is so old and weird it should be closed and archieved, I'm sure Truestory (god bless) would not want us fucking with her ideas anymore.