THANKSGIVING 2006 | 5.0 mag. Earthquake shakes Hawaii November 23rd at 9:20 HST

According to official USGS data on the area, a 5.0 magnitude quake centered 13 miles north of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island, Hawaii, rumbled through the island chain at 9:20 AM, Thanksgiving morning. Of those who noticed the tremor, most were closest to the epicenter. No tsunami was triggered by the quake; nor causing significant interruption to normal island life.

This morning's earthquake is the sixth minor to moderate quake (3.0 ≾ above) for the Hawaiian Islands since the 6.7 quake last October 15, which caused serious property damage and resulted in power outages on all islands, including tourist mecca Waikiki Beach.


Quakes

13 miles N of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaii NOV 23 2006 09:20:11 HST 5.0

36 miles NW of Hilo, Hawaii, Hawaii NOV 18 2006 18:18:57 HST 3.0

15 miles NE of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaii NOV 12 2006 15:36:07 HST 3.7

33 miles NE of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaii NOV 6 2006 10:38:51 HST 3.2

31 miles NE of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaii OCT 30 2006 18:24:31 HST 3.6

25 miles N of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaii OCT 15 2006 10:35:21 HST 4.2

10 miles NNW of Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Hawaii OCT 15 2006 07:07:48 HST 6.7


This morning on the windward side of O'ahu, I felt zip, nada, nothing. The October 15th, 6.7 one -- yep, that one I definitely noticed -- and while living through it, I watched the water in my pool bounce around like boiling water -- a very weird visual which I dare any special effects artist to realistically recreate.
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Thanksgiving quake link:
5.0 mag. Earthquake shakes Hawaii November 23rd at 9:20 HST

Quid novi ex Africa | Same-sex marriage become legal in South Africa

On December 1, 2005, South Africa's Constitutional Court gave Parliament a year to reconcile a definition of marriage that is not unconstitutional in terms of common law marriage. Failing this directive, on December 1, 2006 same-sex marriages will become legally recognized and permissible by the State.

As it is common everywhere else this issue comes under public debate, major opposition comes from staunch religious organizations.

Nations of the world that sanction same-sex unions, South Africa will join The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Canada.

On the African continent, homosexual behavior is illegal in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and most other sub-Saharan countries.


On-line References:

Associated Press: South African parliament OKs gay marriage
CBC NEWS South Africa passes same-sex marriage bill
Wikipedia Same-sex marriage in South Africa

Smaller than the naked eye... | The sharpest man-made thing.

Shawn, my brooding, dangerously articulate, and cynical dear friend and compatriot, believes it to be a raspberry. He's admitted to seeing things frequently; things that have turned out to be not really there. I guess he figures that that's a clear demonstration his superlative visual perception skills. I certainly won't argue with that. But... I don't know. It looks like every other tungsten needle I've ever seen.

Wait a minute... Now, that I think about it ... A few of those atoms look awfully familiar. I know we've met ... somewhere ... before. Hmmm ... ? OMG!! It was a salacious encounter from which I fled from, a very long time ago; Capris on a dark summer's day in 1989? Quelle Horror!

Sharp and man-made? Really, huh. That description excludes a whole lot of stuff, undoubtedly "my wit" would be near the top of that list. Naturally, I was right. They look nothing alike.

A raspberry, my wit, Capris ...? You decide >> Sharpest Manmade Thing