How did I miss the earthquake?

So apparently there was an earthquake today (hit the link for a funny video).  Strangely, I know this only because CBC ran a ticker-tape with the news during it’s afternoon showing of the Germany vs. Ghana match.  Somehow, despite being in Centretown all day, I didn’t feel a thing!  I’m not sure if I should feel lucky, or ripped-off!

Advertisement

Unnatural disasters

Why is it that we ascribe the term “natural disaster”  to floods, avalanches, mudslides, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and other perfectly natural occurrences only when they destroy completely unnatural, man-made structures?

An earthquake isn’t a disaster – it’s a basic geological phenomenon.  Likewise, the leveling of a city is not natural – cities are about as far from nature as we can get.

Yes, floods, avalanches, mudslides, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis sometimes destroy our things, and it is very unfortunate.  But we should be clear:  when this happens it is not nature ravaging humanity, it is humanity getting in nature’s way.

Nature was here first, and nature will be here last. Lets all agree to stop mixing these concepts.