Wikipedia and Wikinews are covered in the Guardian Newsblog.

Is it worth looking closer to home than the canaries? What about the fault line running up through the atlantic cutting Iceland in two?
Would a decent sized earthquake there not send a large wave east?

Iceland suffers 150-200 earthquakes PER WEEK. Obviously they are small but they had a 5.8 in Sept 2002, a 6.5 in June 2000.
Earthquakes within the last 48 hours in Iceland

It's only about 800 miles from Reykjavik to Galway.

Scaring anyone yet?

"The US government must be aware of the La Palma threat. They should certainly be worried.." Weren't we repeatedly told how the East Coast voted Democrat? If I was Bush I'd be helping the thing go off! ;-))

The fact that there are regular small earthquakes in Iceland actually lessens the threat of a big 'un.

"The fact that there are regular small earthquakes in Iceland actually lessens the threat of a big 'un."

Maybe...

Maca
it all depends where the wave will hit on the south coast,If it is cork/waterford,we are in serious trouble,however if it was west kerry the casualties would be limited.Its interesting to hear about the damage it supposedly will do to the east coast of america,I am sure that the vast majority of americans have absolutely no knowledge of this impending disaster,That is serious misconduct on the part of the Governments of the countries,which will likely be hit.

We couldn't get a very precise warning, and it would be impractical to empty the vulnerable areas for months or years waiting for the disaster.

But why not evacuate the areas and use a big bomb to cause the landslide? Then everyone can go back to in safety.

It could also be a visible form of decommissioning ;-)

The piece about a "mega tsunami" resulting from a collapse on the Canary Islands has been comprehrensively debunked by the Tsunami Society. Nothing like this has ever happened in known geological history so the reports seen about it are entirely a matter of conjecture and speculation. I wish our media would come up with better things to do than scaring people.

People. Errr, no. The North Atlantic Ridge will not cause the death of us all.

I am sorry, but the comments on this thread come across as crass, narcissistic and cowardly. Par for the course on Slugger, I guess...

Roger,

Interesting link. I'm sure the probabilities they quote are accurate, but this one sentence should give us pause for some thoughts:

"Krakatau or Santorin (the two most similar known happenings) generated catastrophic waves in the immediate area but hazardous waves did not propagate to distant shores".

But then again, the Boxing Day quake did.

I doubt if it will have any direct effect on property prices in Cork, Youghal and Waterford, but...

Mick, I'd stick with what you know.

You're comparing collapsing caulderas with stick-slip release on convergent plate boundaries.

And the MAR? Jiminy Cricket...

Here's a thought : will global warming and accompanying rises water levels make Tsunami more likely ?

No.

I stand corrected Beo.

np.

Mi.

ST,

"Par for the course on Slugger, I guess..."

Emmm, not sure what to respond to that with, except to note that it's playing neither man nor ball.

Bravo that louche Cambridge type!

Why thankyou, Mick. *I* take that as a compliment.

Thought you might!

Square up your shoulders lads! We riding the San Andreas tiger salute you!!

A canoe might be helpful though.

Not to worry.

Trust me.

An automated radio broadcast alarm could be useful, so the warning could cut past normal broadcasting to give people the maximum time to escape.

It would have to be the cheapest insurance available for this kind of thing, even for areas where the probability of occurence is very low.

Not to put too fine a point on the issue of a large wave of water destroying part of the RoI, would it be safe to say the Vatican with its billions of notes in the bank would come to the rescue? I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

StrayToaster
"the comments on this thread come across as crass, narcissistic and cowardly"

Woah dude! Maybe you need to take a walk, get some fresh air. No one is actually taking this issue seriously ... except maybe you ;)

Ok answer me this,

Why is it if a man gets drunk and beats his wife it's my fault.

If a bankrobber shoots a guard it's my fault

If someone loses their wages on the horses it's my fault

If a joyrider knocks someone down it's my fault

If a shinner gets elected it's my fault

If Peter Mandelson gets a new job it's my fault

But if 150,000 people including children are smashed into walls, choked with mud, and ripped to bits by debis it's an ACT OF GOD.

AND I'M THE ONE WITH THE BAD NAME.......

Roger W.

if ever someone destroyed their own arguement with a link ... it was you

Dear Mr. Devil,
He didn't destroy his argument with the link; as a simple illustration fill a basin with water and drop a tennis ball into it, that's the wave effect of a cauldera collapsing (like Krakatoa), a small surface disturbance. Now take the basin and quickly move it about 6" to one side, that's the wave effect of an undersea earthquake as in the Sundra trench earthquake.

But yes, as an act of God it does appear to put your bad name in the shade.

A certain clique of governments have known for years about the threat posed to civilisation from natural events. Despite their crocidile tears they could care less about third world counties, the initial measley sums contributed says much about their attitude, their stunning failure to end thirld world poverty and starvation perhaps says it all. This is not the end of natures weapons of mass destruction, there will be more tidal waves and massive earthquakes in San Francisco for example. But the mother & father of all threats to global civilisation is smoldering away in Uncle Sams backyard. Trust me, if Pandoras Box ever goes pop, order your last pint of guiness.
Give generously to your local aid agencies or online.

The Indo have covered the same issue.

maca:

Yeah, Sweeney seems to have his act together a little more than Gwynne Dyer and the other two phuds. You have more to fear from storms than tsunami. Hell, you have more to fear from bad sushi than a tsunami, for that matter, and there's a damn sight more bad sushi on the island.

Have you people Ever been to the west of Ireland during a storm? You need rock-climbing gear just to keep a tent from sailing off to Wales.

More specifically, have you ever been to the Aran Islands? I've stayed with a ex-San Francisco peninsula couple (an island lad married a Guatemalan girl and was a contractor in Burlingame, just up the peninsula from me, for 20 years) on Inis Maan. Their place is 150 feet up from the water line (for certain since I've had to drag luggage there) and they have seen a shed sitting maybe 50 feet below them across the road hit by waves during a winter storm. Maybe this is a local tiger tale but the lady working for An Post said that islanders didn't start really worrying until the waves were seen washing up to Dun Angus.

And for a real subtle scare, walk the storm beach south from the Black Fort to Kilronan on Inis Mor. Beware the goats, though.

Let me channel Willowfield for a moment for Mr. BeanShide.

"more tidal waves and massive earthquakes in San Francisco for example"

Loma Prieta is nearly in my back garden, so I've ridden out the clock in a rodeo or two on the San Andreas. The big problem in this area is seen as the Hayward Fault in the Oakland hills going along the east side of Silicon Valley. This is the one currently with the most stored strain in it and it also sits under a more densely populated area. It also severs the major routes out of the Bay Area to the inland part of the state.

Also, do not count on a tsunami in San Francisco Bay. (It still is really cool to see the water slosh around in the mud puddles if you have a spring or winter quake and the people with swimming pools also get a really big surprise!!) Other than the fog, the reason San Francisco Bay was not discovered, and then only overland, until the Eighteenth Century is because the mouth is so narrow. If you have ever played with how orifice parameters affect fluid flow, you will understand that a small orifice can have a tremendous damping effect on flow surges. We got zip in the Bay Area after the Alaskan quake of 1964 off Valdez but Crescent City (faces the sea) up the coast from us got a 21 foot tsunami that killed 11.

"Mr. BeanShide" - obviously has an identity crisis.

James

Aran Islands - Only been on Inish Oirr, glorious place. Dún Aengus is one place I have to see before it falls into the Atlantic, beeing related to it by name and all.
You're not one of dem yanks dat are buying the wolly jumpers are ya? ;)

Great Link Maca. Did I ever send you an article by Stephen Royle from Irish Geography on the Irish Islands ?

I don't remember it Davros. Send it on anyway, if you don't mind? ;)

No probs :)

"You're not one of dem yanks dat are buying the wolly jumpers are ya? ;)"

I'm aware of the special relationship Irishmen have with their sheep so I prefer to be discrete and not to interfere. I'm usually off rock-hopping along the beaches so you never see me in town until the music starts at 10.

However, on the last trip I broke with policy and bought a wool sports jacket at Fairfield Woolen Mills, the place founded by Mother Agnes Morrogh Bernard and which carries the Masonic symbol on it's business stationary and above the door. Make certain that a certain gargoyle we know includes this curious iconographic juxtaposition in his next lesson plan. It would be worth a trip to "Mayo, God help us" for him.

That's Foxford, not Fairfield, damn it.

;))

Mother Bernard must be one very, very old lady!

You will meet Mother Agnes Morrogh Bernard, the Irish Sister of Charity who founded the Woollen Mills in 1892.

"Mother Bernard must be one very, very old lady!"

Ah. youth is so wasted on the young.

It is truly an astounding tour, a private tour easily on a par with that of Jamison and Bushmill and far exceeding Guinness. I thought that you would be interested in the curious iconography since it is obvious once you understand the history of the place. I'm gonna make you get out from behind the keyboard and off into the wilds of Mayo to solve the mystery, though. Make certain that you go on a weekday when the looms are running.

Mario, if you are lurking:

Yet another curiosity of the site is that they are starting a Naval Museum at the location. I found a 5 incher along with it's mount that bears Argentine markings in the parking lot. I overlooked it at first because it was behind the trees but something about the torpedo in the car park piqued my curiosity.

James, as you know, English is my second language; thus I am not quite sure what you mean. A five incher? Please tell me we are not talking about Argentine men. What are Argentine Markings. Did it say VOS instead of Tu? lol

I have been away. There was a great tragedy here in Argentina at a local nightclub. A lot of people died in the fire and blame is going around, but compared to the suffering in the rest of the world it seems miniscule.

James, what do you make of the United States giving such little aid at first? A friend of mine from America who follows that dreadful sport called Baseball, told me that 30 million was the equivelant of a baseball star's year salary. I beleive his name is Alex Rodriguez.

Actually James, I thought you were taking the P ;)
I'll look again and refresh my memory when the edict was issued about Freemasonry.

Ah, all explained :

THE FREEMASON

Aware of the need to restore a measure of pride and self sufficiency to the hard pressed community, Mother Arsenius used her considerable powers of persuasion to secure the assistance of John Charles Smith, a protestant mill owner from Caledon in County Tyrone, in setting up a spinning and weaving plant in Foxford. The unlikely pairing of nun and freemason could hardly have foreseen how, against all the odds, their venture was to thrive and prosper, giving employment locally and taking advantage of the abundant supplies of raw material.

Thanks for that James, appreciate it.

A five incher? Please tell me we are not talking about Argentine men.

Hmmmm...... I better not get involved in the John Holmes aspect of this.

I'm sorry if I used jargon. I found a naval cannon on it's mount there (i.e., no turret). It had identification plates indicating that it once belonged to the Argentine Navy. It looked to be the same caliber as the 5 inch gun on the Jeremiah O'Brien, a Liberty ship I took cub scouts to tour when it was at Fort Mason in San Francisco. The kids would have a grand old time tracking sailboats going by Fort with the working mount (welded breech block, though.... they knew all about 10 year old boys).

James, what do you make of the United States giving such little aid at first?

The Bush Administration was in the process of cutting what little we furnish in foreign aid. This is in keeping with the conservative and isolationist world view, especially the one in which the denial of compassion is legitimate. It is in keeping with this philosophy that they initially offered 15 million and then bumped it up to 35 million when the "stingy" quote hit.

This is typical. They are intelligent men doing, the way they view it, the morally right thing within the constraints of their vision of the world and how it works.

Therein lies the problem, the vision thing. What has happened in the late aftermath of the "stingy" quote is that the scope of the disaster has become apparent and other donors with far fewer resources have responded far beyond the 35 million which the US had on the table. In short, it was feckin' obvious that we were so cheap we squeaked.

Even this may not have changed things because our lad is famous for "staying the course". I do believe, though, that wiser minds pointed out to Bush and Rice that (1) it would be supreme propaganda in the "war on terror" to flood this area which contains the bulk of the world's Muslims with US largesse; and (2) the area also pumps over a million barrels of crude oil a day. That, I believe, is why the figure went from 35 million to 350 million.

Alex Rodriguez has a $252 million, 10 year contract with the Texas Rangers. That is chump change to Oprah who knocks down $150 million a year.

Departing the venal sins of the cancer of Capitalism, for the moment, have you seen The Motorcycle Diaries? Is it good?

Davros:

Curses! Foiled again!!

I will find a way to get you away from that keyboard yet.

No problem man, I thought that is what you meant, but I just wanted to make sure. Interisting points on the travels of the Argentine fleet. La Armada Argentina ( the Navy) has a sordid past here, as you know its school was used by torturers and those versed in the art of dissapereance. Alfredo Astiz a criminal graduate of one of your fine institutions ( the school of the Americas) is also a graduate of the Armada Argentina.

Interisting link. I am always fascinated how we wind up in our countries. The Kelleys came from Antrim, My mother's anscestors , whose last name was Doris came from an area near Coalisland in Tyrone. I think they were heading for your neck of the woods ( San Francisco) and were ripped off by Cornelius Vanderbilt along the way and wound up in this beautiful land of Gauchos and Mate.

The motorcycles Diaries is a beautiful film, and the regional accents are done quite well, with the exception of Gael Bernal who does a fine job with our accent but one can still hear traces of his Mexican accent, but he does a fine job in portraying Ernesto Guevara in his early days of idealism. It is more about comino of age in the southern tip of south america and about the contrasts of the classess here. This director did a film with the same sub text, is called Central Station and it is also a beautiful road film set in Brazil.

By the way , my uncle Armando lives in your neck of the woods, in San Francisco’s Misión District.

Who is John Holmes?

"Who is John Holmes?"

Is the opening for a pornographic version of Atlas Shrugged. God only knows what we'll do in place of the dollar sign.

Sorry, couldn't pass that one up.

He was a pornographic film star of legendary proportion during trhe 70's and early 80's. "Boogie Nights" was based on a rough approximation of his life and times but if you rent the "Wonderland" DVD there is a special feature, not related to the Wonderland killings, that covers his career more realistically.

"Rodriguez/Oprah"

By way of comparison, 2003's richest...

Bill Gates $40.7 bil
Warren Buffett $30.5 bil
Karl & Theo Albrecht $25.6 bil
Paul G Allen $20.1 bil
Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud $17.7 bil
Lawrence J Ellison $16.6 bil
Alice L Walton $16.5 bil
Helen R Walton $16.5 bil
Jim C Walton $16.5 bil
John T Walton $16.5 bil

Mario= 1 million ( argentine pesos that is) ;)