Strong Earthquake Shatters Japan

[5300cs]

...Where can you really go to be safe?

I remember reading a long time ago, that hiding under a door frame is pretty safe because they're strong. My building is 30+ years old, which is why I jumped when it all started.

Here's a funny story I found:

Years ago, I was a green English teacher at the Suginamiku Ei Gakuin in Koenji. The only American most of the students had ever had contact with. I was at the blackboard expounding about some English proverb when suddenly, the whole classroom started to shake violently, with the desks sliding, books falling, etc. The old building itself wasn't too sturdy, and we were on the 4th floor. I remember seeing the telephone poles swaying outside the window. Well, what did this intrepid 'teacher' do? I hightailed it out the nearest door and scrambled down to steps, racing to save my life before the building pancaked in a deadly heap. Out into the street I flew, safe (I thought), and shaking with fear. I looked around expecting to see my students there too. But I was all alone. After the tremors stopped, I sheepishly slipped back up the stairs into my classroom. They were all still there at their desks. Only the 'sensei' had fled---without the students... I fumbled around, trying to smile and make a covering joke or excuse that was plausible. The feeble effort I came up with was to do a 'special lesson' on how to react in emergencies, starting with bombing raids...
-Slavemaster

(You can find more funny things eikaiwa-oriented here: eikaiwa stories )

 

[ToastCabbit]

interesting note

While I fear I can't find the exact article this appeared in on CNN.com, I remember reading that Japan sits on top of three tectonic plates and they have an earthquake somewhere in the country approximately every five minutes. A fabulous fact for a student to know who is about to go over there.

 

[sushi]

I would say so.

I remember just sitting there watching things flop against the wall.

I have a large bookshelf/video rack which is about 6 feet tall. Since I have been living in my current apartment (a little over 10 years), I only remember once having to steady it to keep it from falling over.

Where can you really go to be safe?

Usually in each place. there is a reinforced door frame. Then again who knows.

I would vote for a large open area, with no tall buildings or power lines nearby. Unfortunately in the Tokyo area, there are very few places like this let alone living near one.

If it's going to get you, you're not going to get away.

Yep. Over the years, I've had many close friends die in helicopter accidents (training and mission related).

I've also known a few folks over the years who survived what should have been fatal. Such as loosing your main rotor blade (on a AH-1 Cobra) at 500 feet. Or the fellow who upon return from an assault in Vietnam, when observing and analysing the bullet holes, should have had his head blown off -- numerous times, but was not hit. FWIW, they use strings from entry to exit points to see what would have been hit. Another fellow had a wire strike in Germany and ended up doing a loop after the control rods were severed.

As for myself, I've had a few close calls over the years. You never stop trying to survive/handle the situation. That you make it, sometimes is a nice surprise!

Totally agree with you. When your time is up, it's up.

Glad you're okay, even if you didn't notice otherwise.

Domo aligators!

I guess I do notice them. Just tend to ignore them. That is unless I am sleeping. My wife comes home from all night shifts sometimes and asks me if I felt the earthquake. What earthquake I ask? She just smiles in that your weird but I still love ya type of accepting smile.

One thing that I am glad that I didn't do, was sell my 22 inch Cinema display and get a new 23 inch one. The news ones, while very nice and seemingly very stable, are simply not as sturdy as my 22 inch with it's three points of contact during an earthquake.

Hope all is well with you guys and your windy storms. At least you are getting a breather between them. About 1, maybe 2, years ago, one hit Okinawa, again and again and again. For some reason it would pass over, then come back again. They had a lot of typhoon parties for that one.

Cheers!

Sushi

 

[bousozoku]

...
Usually in each place. there is a reinforced door frame. Then again who knows.

I would vote for a large open area, with no tall buildings or power lines nearby. Unfortunately in the Tokyo area, there are very few places like this let alone living near one.



Yep. Over the years, I've had many close friends die in helicopter accidents (training and mission related).

I've also known a few folks over the years who survived what should have been fatal. Such as loosing your main rotor blade (on a AH-1 Cobra) at 500 feet. Or the fellow who upon return from an assault in Vietnam, when observing and analysing the bullet holes, should have had his head blown off -- numerous times, but was not hit. FWIW, they use strings from entry to exit points to see what would have been hit. Another fellow had a wire strike in Germany and ended up doing a loop after the control rods were severed.

As for myself, I've had a few close calls over the years. You never stop trying to survive/handle the situation. That you make it, sometimes is a nice surprise!

Totally agree with you. When your time is up, it's up.

...
Hope all is well with you guys and your windy storms. At least you are getting a breather between them. About 1, maybe 2, years ago, one hit Okinawa, again and again and again. For some reason it would pass over, then come back again. They had a lot of typhoon parties for that one.

Cheers!

Sushi

Yeah, okay here so far. I've been checking out the various typhoon reports. The last I saw was # 18. Glad I'm not there now. I'd have a serious cold from being soaked so many times.

You made me think about one of the maps in Unreal Tournament 2004. If you look on one of the computer displays, it says something like "if you're reading this, you're already dead" and you shouldn't just stand there stupidly. That's not so unreal. Helicopters are wondrous vehicles but sometimes, I wonder how they stay together.

By the way, I know the earthquake drill. I'm pessimistic as to anything's earthquake resistance, including mine. Maybe, it's just my current attitude about nature. Oh well...

 

[sushi]

I'm pessimistic as to anything's earthquake resistance, including mine. Maybe, it's just my current attitude about nature. Oh well...

Don't mess with mother nature. She'll kick your _ss!

Sushi