Congress has stiffed earthquake detection program

[baby_bear]

I had no idea about this. It's from a letter to the editor in today's NYTimes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/28/opinion/l28flood.html?oref=login

<snip>
We should recognize that the United States lacks a fully deployed early warning system for earthquakes.

One of the goals of the Advanced National Seismic System is to provide this capability. Only $16.6 million has been appropriated for the system from the $170.3 million needed and authorized by Congress.

Seeing the loss of life that could have been prevented by an early warning system in Asia should be motivation enough to push for the full deployment of a seismic system to mitigate the loss of life that can occur in the regions of our country that are affected by earthquakes.

Timothy Dawson
Newark, Dec. 27, 2004
The writer, an independent consulting geologist, formerly worked at the United States Geological Survey.
</snip>

How incredibly short-sighted is it to stiff this system?

Time for letters to senators and representatives. This is the time to bring this to people's attention.

b_b

[DBoon]

1. Only blue states get serious quakes

so why should they care?

CA, OR, WA, HI...

[shady lane]

2. I wonder if we can ever predict earthquakes.

Just a couple months ago they predicted a massive earthquake using all this expensive stuff in California and -----nothing happened!

[illflem]

3. Considering it was the first major tsunami

to occur in the Indian Ocean in recorded history why should have anyone thought about installing a warning system? I'm sure one will be now.
Highly doubt this guy is a geologist, if he were he would know that attempts to predict earthquakes beyond the time frame of "some day" have been largely unsuccessful.

[depakid]

4. last I heard, New Guinea was in the Indian Ocean

and there was a major tsunami there in 1998 that killed over 1,500 people.

There haven't been that many tsunamis in the Atlantic, either- yet there a big volcanic landmass in the Canary Islands that WILL at some point slide into the sea, creating a tsunami that will devistate the eastern seaboard.

Seems to me that it makes sense to modestly fund earthquake detection research- even though it hasn't yet born fruit. Sure beats throwing billions at Star Wars" technology that we know doesn't and won't work- against a threat that doesn't exist.

[illflem]

6. New Guinea is in the Pacific

[depakid]

7. You are right

It's sort of hard to draw a hard and fast line at where the two separate, but I was wrong and should have better known, since I've spent time in far north Queensland.

Same general vicinity though, in terms what one might expect geologically.

[baby_bear]

5. Here is the information on it

http://www.anss.org/

It is a legitimate USGS program. The geologists I know
believe this is achievable (including my sister).

b_b

[pacifictiger]

8. not the first,

but tsunami's are certainly less frequent in the indian ocean than in the pacific. The last major one was due to the krakatoa explosion in 1883.
Perhaps the US government funded warning system in the pacific has more to do with multiple US military assets stationed around the pacific (vs a bunch of poverty stricken people in the indian ocean) than simple humanitarian philanthropy.

[Lostnote03]

9. Used Seismograph For Sale!!!

....Located in basement of local University near NYC.....Last time used 9/11/01....Reason for sale?....Too Hot To Handle!!!

[Oversea Visitor]

10. The Asian

region just pay a hefty price for not having an early warning system
We never thought that we would be hit by a tsunami

Damn it if our tax dollars cannot be use to protect our own ass

[indepat]

11. In times when valuable resources must be devoted to war to make us safe

and tax breaks provided to alleviate the suffering of the needy, any remaining resources must be allocated to higher priorities, i.e., funds are no longer available for such piffles.