Earthquakes

I was interested to see many people who don't seem to understand even basic geology are attributing the earthquakes in the Pacific to climate change. This is a natural event which cannot be predicted or prevented - as far as we know. Yes I'm desperately sorry for those affected by it but I really don't see why the rest of us need feel guilty.

I got into an argument on a forum yesterday about ethical purchases - big mistake. I only joined in because everyone was saying how dreadful it is to buy cheap clothes made by child labour. I said I really didn't have any interest in assuring myself of the origins of any clothes I bought - provided what I was buying was legally sold. I also said that as I buy many of my clothes second hand I felt I was doing my bit. I was accused of being amoral and not caring about the effects of my actions on other people. So several people on that forum now think I'm a really horrible person. I'm afraid I am amused rather than shamed.

These are not issues I'm interested in - maybe I should be but I get a bit tired of being told what to think and believe about the world I live in and I prefer to make up my own mind. The ethical/climate change/green lobbyists have been exploited by certain bits of the political spectrum for their own purposes - which I dislike. Added to which many people who support these ideas do so unthinkingly. I have not made up my mind about any of it yet - except that I think climate change is natural and not something man in his wisdom can control or influence. I don't like waste and will recycle anything I can - but that is far as I go. I cannot take on the troubles of the world so I pick and choose

Earthquakes

I am interested in earthquakes having experienced two in this country. I keep the British Geological survey and the US equivalent in my Internet favourites and look at the latest quakes most days.

There was one near Ulverston in Cumbria today which was pretty large by British standards - 3.7. I've just added up the number in the British Isles in the last 30 days and realised that this last month seems to have been quite active. 8 on the mainland and 3 in the English Channel including one today. Admittedly the British Geological Survey record quakes under 1 in magnitude but even so this seems to be quite a large number for us. Normally it's perhaps 4 or 5 and sometimes there's only one or two. Today the map is full of red dots!

www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/ should you be interested too.
www.earthquake.ugs.gov/ American version and covers the world.