Tuesday, March 18, 2003

Nokia Cat Ad Interesting to see advertising going so underground... Nokia says they didn't make this, check it out. 7:03:55 PM

Anxiously Awaiting the Great Tokai The subject of global economics came up the other night, and I speculated that Japan was in the slumps because they were still waiting for the Great Tokai, a giant earthquake that hits Tokyo consistently every 100-150 years. The Great Tokai is now late, and so the people of Tokyo have a parade each year trying to coax her forward. I wish I could remember the exact show I saw this in, but it was something on PBS. Here's some info I found online regarding the Great Tokai... Recurrence of great earthquakes off the Tokai-Nankai area, the Pacific coast of central and southwestern Japan, with a return period of 100¬150 years is one of the most conspicuous features of seismic activity in Japan. As no such earthquake occurred in the Suruga Bay area, the eastern-most portion of the earthquake zone, since the Ansei Tokai earthquake (M=8.4) in 1854, it has recently been feared that an earthquake having a magnitude of 8 or thereabout might hit there sooner or later and probably sooner. [ Tsuneji Rikitake, 1999] When the [next] Tokai earthquake does occur, it will plunge the Tokyo area into a period of intense seismic activity marked by the repeated occurrence of magnitude 7-class earthquakes. [K. Ishibashi, one of Japan's top earthquake experts] The Japanese media is full of doom and gloom... Tokai earthquake could happen anytime? It is predicted that there will be an earthquake at the base of Mount Fuji,which is said will be 10 times stronger than the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake.Elevated transport systems such the highway and Shinkansen will collapse, bringing down cars and trains alike. Buildings will fall, causing injuries and death. Many people will also Die from the fires that will spread. People living in coastal areas will be threatened by tidal waves. The lucky ones who survive will be left searching for food and shelter Tokai Earthquakes occur once every 100-150 years and the last Tokai earthquake was 148 years ago so is well overdue. [Tokyo Progressive] I haven't found any references to the parade/festival, and perhaps I'm using the wrong words to search... 2:28:53 PM