According to the pietist wing of the Republican Party most evil resides in Washington., D.C. I envision this perceived phenomenon as something like the New York City in "Ghostbusters" but with demons inhabiting the corridors of the Department of State and Congress (with certain saintly exceptions). Across the river stands "Gondor" (DoD) stoutly defending righteousness and civic virtue. The walls of the "White City" are built of concrete in a strange and mystic five sided shape. I see, a pentagram of course! Will the "watch on the Potomac" fail on the 14th Street Bridge? Who can say?
Yesterday, was it only yesterday? The walls of Mordor shook and the wicked fled into the streets of Gomorrah (Foggy Bottom). Sauron had already fled unto a strange foreign islet where his masters and familiars gather to feast and celebrate in coven.
Fair Virginia was targeted by subterranean forces for destruction, but the walls held with but a few edifices of the faithful damaged in the struggle and two Rosenthal vases destroyed in our bunker here in Rosemont.
We will go on! Inspired by "our" leaders, the sainted ones, we will never compromise. Never! pl
The earthquake is really the fault of the Bush administration.
Posted by: R Whitman | 24 August 2011 at 09:37 AM
Good morning Col.
Well that's a good one. Thank you and nice to read that everything is OK in Rosemont :-)
Posted by: The beaver | 24 August 2011 at 09:57 AM
Sadly too many pietist wing of the Republican Party await the "Return of the King".
Posted by: Fred | 24 August 2011 at 10:04 AM
All is well down in the Shire. At first we mistook the mighty shaking for yet another thunderous firepower display of the leather necked Riders of Rohan in the forests of Quantico just to the north of the Shire. I let loose the incantation, "FREAKING JARHEADS!" but the mighty shaking continued. When calm eventually returned to the Shire, we trooped the lines of our Hummel legions and found all the brave children of Sister Maria standing tall and unmoved. Surely a wondrous sign. They have already been hardened by the all too frequent leather necked thunder.
Posted by: The Twisted Genius | 24 August 2011 at 10:14 AM
Decision to have early dismissal instead of exercising COOP plans demonstrates how unprepared mentally and physically the political leadership of USA is for any catastrophe. These are amateurs at crisis management.
And hoping those without landlines enjoyed the service interruption. The providers blamed it on congestion not their lack of foresight and planning.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 24 August 2011 at 10:25 AM
Blame it on Halliburton boys(who moved their head shed from OK to Dubai to avoid their books being investigated by the U.S. Government) and their natural gas fracking, thanks to their way of doing business, the whole nation is shaking wherever they punch a hole (not to mention their contamination of the water aquifers).
I'd a whole lot rather that Halliburton do it, than the BP boys, who really screwed things up with their Gulf punching.
Colonel,
We 'secretly' know where all that methane is coming from -- the errant GOP head cheezes who stiffed U.S. for 2 unnecessary wars. They are the Sauron who want their ring back so they and their transnational corporate buds can rule all of mankind.
Posted by: J | 24 August 2011 at 10:52 AM
Phone service still out north of me as of 11AM today. So much for resilence of the USA communications industry.
Ever wonder why the government does not study reliance of basic sinews of preparedness on foreign offshore manufacturing (drugs one example) and domestic industry on how reliable its systems are to disruption intentional or accidental? Is there a need to know by Joe and Jill average citizen?
I believe evidence exists for the FCC to conduct a major investigation of the impact of the earthquake on
East Coast communications networks. It cannot all be congestion as the disembodied voice keeps telling me as I call north of REEDVILLE VA at the mouth of the Potomac River.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 24 August 2011 at 11:21 AM
Down here on the summits of "fly over country", we had "nary" a shake. Surely a sign of something or the other.
Sorry about the vases.
Posted by: highlander | 24 August 2011 at 11:28 AM
Since I live in ground zero of fundamentalist America, I know many people who interpret events as signs of God's displeasure. According to this world view: (1)God, not morbid obesity, struck down the porcine Ariel Sharon because "he divided the land", i.e., evaculated illegal Israeli settlements in Gaza; or (2) God struck New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina because the city had just held a gay rights parade.
The examples are endless.
I usually respond: "Well, my Great State of Texas is suffering from a horrible drought. And we've had Rick Perry as governor for 10 years. Why won't we open our eyes to this clear sign of His Displeasure?"
Posted by: Matthew | 24 August 2011 at 11:45 AM
Given where the quake was centered, I was sort of hoping the earth would open up and swallow Mr. Cantor, but....
Posted by: Tigershark | 24 August 2011 at 01:45 PM
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/08/washington-monument-closed-indefinitely-after-earthquake.html
Call it "The Cheney" till it is back in working order.
Posted by: rjj | 24 August 2011 at 01:51 PM
..And the precious ring is ok?
Posted by: walrus | 24 August 2011 at 02:51 PM
This is no laughing matter to the "apostolic restoration movement," many of whom were behind Perry's prayer meeting in Houston. Terry Gross' segment today was chilling:
http://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/
Posted by: MikeS | 24 August 2011 at 05:33 PM
Pat,
I'm glad you are well and still with us.
Matthew,
I like the word "porcine" but usually only encounter it in crossword puzzles. Your usage of it was quite good.
Tigershark,
I was hoping the same thing regarding Cantor. Too bad that didn't happen,
Posted by: Jackie | 24 August 2011 at 05:53 PM
Y'all be sure to check out your insurance policies and your chimneys. Foundations too.
Nasty tricksy insurance adjusters! Calls cracks "old" whens they gets their chances-es..I hates them.
Posted by: Another Insufferably Smug West Coaster... | 24 August 2011 at 06:00 PM
Tigershark--
Far as I know, Cantor is still doing his Israel junket. Not to worry though, seems he's got backup in a Brooklyn rabbi who blames the earthquake on the gays.
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/08/nom-speaker-blames-east-coast-earthquake-on-gays/#.TlU3VoLO23A.facebook
Posted by: steve | 24 August 2011 at 10:40 PM
Steve:
"Far as I know, Cantor is still doing his Israel junket. Not to worry though, seems he's got backup in a Brooklyn rabbi who blames the earthquake on the gays."
Did you really mean Gays, or Goys?
Posted by: walrus | 24 August 2011 at 11:18 PM
Jackie,
Not to worry about Cantor, Armageddon has a bulls-eye painted on Cantor's back. Just ask Hagee.
That was a 'yolk'.
Posted by: J | 24 August 2011 at 11:52 PM
4.5 mag aftershock early Thursday AM same approximate location for epicenter in Mineral, VA.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 25 August 2011 at 02:43 AM
I know many people who interpret events as signs of God's displeasure. I was hoping the same thing regarding Cantor. Too bad that didn't happen,..thanks
Posted by: outdoor playground equipment | 25 August 2011 at 05:49 AM
Eric Cantor reporting in: "We'll Pay for Post-Quake Relief--If We Can Find the Cuts." And Hurricane Irene?
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/08/eric-cantor-well-pay-for-post-quake-relief----if-we-can-find-the-cuts-video.php#more
Posted by: Margaret Steinfels | 25 August 2011 at 11:54 AM
outdoor playground equipment,
Cantor and half of the Congress (both House & Senate) belong in prison cells for their selling out our nation to Corporations and Foreign Governments [every Senator and Representative from my home state except for one belong in the hoosegow IMO].
IMO that is. The States need to try them for High Treason, particularly since they are supposed to be representing their States and its constituency best interests. How does selling out one's nation to Corporations and Foreign Governments they way Congress is doing serve the best interests of the States and their citizens? I'm being very serious here, try them in a criminal docket and confiscate their ill gotten Congressional personal gains.
Posted by: J | 25 August 2011 at 12:01 PM
For meterological events as opposed to seismic/geologic events I like the graphics on the site "Weather Underground". Should search term Hurricane Irene and scroll down.
Complete guess but thinking last centuries 1938 New England Hurricane might just be matched. That event has NO NAME and was pre-RADAR!
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 25 August 2011 at 12:06 PM
We had a thunderstorm here today. Lightning flashed across the sky, and deafening thunder roared. The only and obvious conclusion is that God is still angry about the gays.
Posted by: confusedponderer | 25 August 2011 at 12:19 PM
PS: Oh yes ...
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/08/nom-speaker-blames-east-coast-earthquake-on-gays/#.TlU3VoLO23A.facebook
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yehuda_Levin
Posted by: confusedponderer | 25 August 2011 at 12:23 PM