Quake News Central!

The U.S. Geological Survey has downgraded the initial Richter magnitude scale estimate, now scoring the quake at 5.2. Obviously, this is because the USGS is controlled by effete liberal bureaucrats trying to rob hard-working God-fearing Midwesterners of our hard-earned glory.

Here is the Indy Star's coverage. The epicenter was nearest to the town of West Salem, IL, about 60 miles from yours truly.

Also, we have a Wikipedia page, at least for now. Which is only fair, since the Brits got one for their wimpy fiver back in February.

In this area, we're fairly accustomed to having mine blasts, so the initial rumbling didn't immediately set off any alarms in my mind. It took about five seconds to realize that the length and magnitude of the shuddering was more severe and, besides, it was 5:30 A.M.

After that, my mind naturally went to the possible scale of the earthquake. The dormant New Madrid Seismic Zone lies along the Mississippi River in parts of the lower Midwest, and is thought by geologists to be due for a major quake in the near future. Had this quake occurred along that fault in southern Missouri or Arkansas, I realized it could well be a serious event. According to the news reports, however, it was the work not of New Madrid but the smaller Wabash Valley seismic zone. The beast remains asleep, at least for now.

Donkeyman is wrong; this is obviously God's punishment for this monstrosity.