Earthquakes & Viruses

Well I guess there was an earthquake in Coupeville this morning, but I wouldn't have known it. Maybe it's because I'm on the second floor of my apartment. . . but I'm not convinced of that because I've felt lesser Earthquakes at the save elevation when my Dad and I lived in an apt. in California. Maybe it's because I was sleeping like a rock . . . which totally explains the wacked out dream I had. Personally though I think it's because it was only a 3.7.

Why do I say only?

Because I hail from the land of Earthquakes. Living in CA has pretty much made me jaded when it comes to that action. It would probably take anything over a 4 to really make me stand up and take notice. I've felt little tremors off and on since I started living here, and back in 2002 we had a really good one, but nothing notable since. You wouldn't know it by the way my neighbors were all up and talking about it at 7am in the parking lot of our building, like the roof was going to cave in at any moment. Some of the funnest ones were the little tremors back in Sig because when we felt those we knew Mt. Etna was starting to wake up. My last summer there she put on quite a show. Normally, however, when I do feel a tremor here I'm awake and it's just like "Oh, that was an earthquake", and then I go on with my day. It must be a slow news day though because Fox news just showed up on Front St. to report on the "action". On the other hand this could be my "big break". To bad I didn't bother to curl my hair this morning. There's no way this mug is going on TV without some primping.

Anyway, if your interested the news story as told by KING5 is found below.

On a much more serious note my computer was attacked with a Trojan virus last night just after 11, and after I had just finished posting my blog on the HWY 20 outreach. Ahhh, it shouldn't have happened since I had just finished running my Norton Anti-virus software, but it did. So I brought it into work today to see if there was anything that Pat, accountant and designated computer guru, could do to help me. So right now Malware is being run on it, extracting the offending virus, and probably C-cleaner too, just to be sure. I'm blessed to have someone with that kind of knowhow around, because I'd hate to have to pay someone to do it for me, and if I did it myself I might mess something up even worse.

Earthquakes and viruses, what a way to start the week.

SEATTLE - A minor earthquake with a magnitude of nearly 4.0 occurred at 5:09 a.m. Wednesday.

Earthquake experts at the U.S. Geological Survey reported receiving about 75 calls from startled residents in a wide area who said they heard a loud thump and felt what was described as a "sharp jolt."

"It was centered about six miles south of Oak Harbor, about 43 miles north-northwest from Seattle," said Randy Baldwin of the U.S.G.S. "There's a preliminary depth of 36 miles, so it's a fairly deep quake and the magnitude, the preliminary magnitude is of about a 3.7."

The University of Washington seismology lab reports it was centered about two miles east-southeast of Coupeville.

A dispatcher in Oak Harbor for the Island County sheriff's office says it received several calls from people reporting they felt the quake.

Callers to Seattle TV and radio stations say they were awakened by shaking that rattled windows and pictures on the walls. One man, who says he felt the quake while sitting in a chair, says his cat gave him a funny look and ran down the hall.

Mitzy Cameron, who llives on the north end of Camano Island, told KING5 News that the quake shook her out of bed.

"That could be, depending upon how close in proximity they're located," said Baldwin.

Baldwin says there may be aftershocks felt in the area. "That's always to be expected. Generally they can last for several days after a quake."