This Day in History November 25, 1759

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It never ceases to me amaze me how many things happened on any given day in history, and in today's society, it is easier than ever to find information (and misinformation).  On this day in 1759, there was a  natural disaster that occurred that obliterated a good portion of Beirut and Damascus.  This earthquake was unlike what I have heard before because it came in two waves nearly a month apart.  I am used to hearing about aftershocks that occur within in hours and days.  But here's how this one went.

On October 30, 1759, the first (and lighter) of the quakes occurred.  Two thousand people died in Safed and other areas (this is in modern-day Israel area).  It registered about 6.6 on the Richter scale.  This was bad, but not as bad as what came later.

On November 25, 1759, the second and most devastating of the quakes came.  It was 7.4 on the Richter scale, and it lasted twice as long as the one less than a month before.  There were several aftershocks, and these continued even a month or two later.  It is estimated that the entire set of earthquakes could have claimed as much as 20,000 lives.  While we don't have all the best records of everything in this area, we do know that the damage in Damascus and Beirut was significant.

For more information:
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004AGUFM.T41F1294D
http://www.ipgp.fr/~klinger/page_web/biblio/publication/Daeron_geology05.pdf
http://www.earth-prints.org/bitstream/2122/908/1/01Sbeinati.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_East_earthquake_of_1759

This Day in History October 8, 2005

By Timothy Smith, U.S. Navy (http://www.navy.mil; VIRIN: 051013-N-8796S-110) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

On this date in 2005, a 7.6 scale earthquake occurred.  It was centered in Kashmir, and Pakistan sustained the most casualties and damage.  The official death toll for Pakistan was 75,000.  More than twenty aftershocks ravaged the area for some time after the initial quake.  The quake was also responsible for many landslides that furthered hampered aid efforts.  Much of the damage and casualties occurred in villages where there was a plethora of unenforced stone masonry buildings that whose building quality were  quite poor and not able to withstand the earth's movement.

For more information, please check out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Kashmir_earthquake

https://engineering.purdue.edu/~ayhan/EQ/2005%2010%2008%20Kashmir/kashmir_eeri_1st_report.pdf

http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Earthquake2005Pakistan.html

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This Day in History February 10, 1970

Another sad day in history to share with all of you.  On this date in 1970, the worst avalanche occurred in Val D'isere, France.  Thirty-nine people, mostly young boys, were killed.  Here is how the story played out.

This particular ski resort was operated by a non-profit group that attracted young skiers.  The morning of that fateful day, most of the occupants of the hotel were eating breakfast in the large room facing the mountain.. Without warning, there was a terrific noise followed by 100,000 cubic yards came crashing down the mountain and into the window.  Trail workers were instantly killed, and people within the hotel were alternately thrown aside and buried by the horrific avalanche.  Cars were stopped on the road, and in some places, the snow was 100 yards deep. 

Sixty other people were injured (in addition to the 39 dead).  The president of France ordered the evacuations of nearby resorts which proved to be a great idea.  There was a chain reaction of avalanches within the next few days.

For more information, please check out:

http://www.mannecy.fr/23314-avalanche-a-val-d-isere.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/avalanches/casestudies.shtml#53

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/avalanche-buries-skiers-in-france

This Day in History December 5, 1952

What a great tragedy this was, and it is fairly recent as far as history goes.  It was on this day in 1952 when the greatest smog disaster in London occurred.  Granted, it wasn't only on this day, and depending on the account one reads, one may find it began on the December 4, but it certainly lasted longer than the 5th.

Leading up to this event, the weather in England of late 1952 had been unusually cold.  People were burning coal to stay warm, and there was a light fog that came about on late December 4/December 5, and it did not life.  No one really thought much about it.  It was just fog.  What they did not realize was all the harmful smoke and sulfur dioxide that were in the air--5 to 6 times normal.

As the week went on, casualties occurred.  There were a few accidents due to the fog, but the main issue was respiratory/cardiovascular problems.  In fact, people would go to sleep and not wake up.  It is estimated that at least 4000 people died!  Most of these people were over 65 years old, but the infant mortality rate doubled during this week as well.

Following this great disaster (that lasted about a week), the authorities outlawed the use of coal, and they passed legislation to keep this from happening again.  Cars are, of course, a real nemesis, and the government is still trying to regulate air pollution from these vehicles.

Here are some sites that cover this disaster in greater depth:
http://english-magazine.org/index.php/sci-tech/913-science-article.html
http://barryrutherford.hubpages.com/hub/Th-London-Smog-of-1952
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/qj.49708034420/abstract
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2545759.stm

This Day in History November 29, 1975

Crack in Hilina Pali road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Peter Lipman, U.S. Geological Survey

This is really a scary picture for me.  On this date in 1975, the largest local earthquake to hit Hawaii since 1868--aptly called Kalapana Earthquake of 1975(since this was the area in which the quake was located--Hawaii's southeastern coast). At 3:35 A.M. a 5.57 magnitude quake hit.  Aftershocks continued for several months afterwards.  A second, more powerful shock occurred about and hour later and measure 7.2.

Shortly after the earthquake, a tsunami reached 14.6 meters in height. Two campers died as a result.  Amazingly, these were the only two fatalities, and 28 other people were injured.  Because population density was so low in the area where it hit, damage was relatively minimal--about $4 million worth of damages (at least $13 million by today's standards, probably more).

The major disruption from the earthquakes/tsunami came due to displacement of the earth's crust, as evidenced by the opening picture.  I won't go into all the details--check out the links below.  It is actually that picture that looks scary to me.  Whenever I look at a significant crack in the earth's surface, I always think of the dissenters in Moses' time who were swallowed by the earth. It must be quite frightening to see the earth open up like that!  I am surprised at the low casualty rate.  I am also quite grateful for that because it seems like whenever a natural disaster occurs, there is a large number of deaths and property damage.  But it must have been scary all the same!

For more information, check out the following links:
http://bcs.whfreeman.com/earthquakes/content/cat_490/bt00eh03.htm#Kalapana, Island of Hawaii, 1975
http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1975Hawaii.html
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/earthquakes/destruct/1975Nov29/
http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/web_tsus/19751129/19751129.htm

Thoughtful Thursday--Basa Body - All Natural Coconut Oil Body Lotion Review and Giveaway (ends 11/18) U.S. (Closed)

I had the supreme pleasure to review a sample of Basa Body All Natural Coconut Oil Body Lotion.  For the majority of my life, lotion has played a part in my personal body regimen.  When I was a child, I visited a dermatologist.   I had a problem (and sometimes still do) with dry skin, especially after a bath or shower.   Back then, I used baby oil, but as I got older, I switched to body lotion.  Every time I take a bath or shower, I have to use a body lotion or I get really itchy.  And I have used practically every kind of lotion available!  I have never found one that I really felt I could endorse.


Basa Body has quite story behind their lotion.  Their story began with a trip to Kenya where they connected with wonderful, intelligent women working hard to feed their families. Their small-scale enterprise was called Coast Coconut Farms, where they produced virgin organic coconut oil by hand.   Following the visit to Kenya, this company was founded to tell the story of these women.  Basa Body is named after the women of Mombasa, Kenya, where the coconut oil is produced


This company creates natural skin-care products made with organic ingredients that do not harm the individual or the environment. Basa was created as a social for-profit company designed to help create economic opportunities and wealth for Kenyan women at the base of the economic pyramid so they can pull themselves out of poverty for good. Basa Body is also committed to donating 10% of all profits to humanitarian projects in Africa.


Basa skin care products are fresh, 100% natural, and made from only the finest ingredients. They are free from harsh chemicals and parabens that irritate the skin. Our products are made in small batches to ensure quality and freshness. They are safe for even the most sensitive skin. Our ingredients are kept to a minimum so you can feel safe using them for yourself and your family, even your little ones. Healing virgin coconut oil from Coast Coconut Farms in Kenya is a key ingredient in every Basa Body product.


Now that you know a little about the company, I am sure you are wondering how well the product works.  I have to say that I was impressed from the beginning.  The smell of the lotion was fantastic!  The coconut smell was appealing but not overpowering.  The thickness of the lotion was also impressive.  I get so tired of thin lotions that drip everywhere and feel so greasy when rubbed into the skin.  This is not true with Basa Body.  The lotion is thick and works very well into the skin.   And I had absolutely no trouble with dry skin or irritation.  I felt like I was rubbing really good stuff into my skin rather than the cheap stuff I sometimes get.  I have discovered that it is better to pay a little more for a product that actually works rather than pay a low price for a product that does absolutely nothing or very little.

All Basa Body products are made with Virgin Organic Coconut Oil that is easily absorbed into the skin and has natural antioxidants that are antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal. Basa Body products help promote healing and give skin a healthier, youthful appearance.

 NO PARABENS
 NO ARTIFICIAL FRAGRANCES
 NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES
 NO HARSH IRRITATING CHEMICALS


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This Day in History September 4, 1618

Looking at this picture, you would never know what tragedy befell this place on this date in 1618.  This is the site of one of the 10 deadliest avalanches in history.  It was known as the "Rodi" avalanche, and it completely wiped out Purls, Switzerland.  There were no survivors.  There were four residents who were vacationing, and you can imagine their shock and horror when they returned to find all their friend, families, and homes gone.  The town itself had 1,500 inhabitants--all who died except four.  However, the full death toll was 2,427.  That would mean that people from surrounding areas must have been killed as well.  

I have never lived anywhere near avalanches.  I cannot imagine how terrifying it would be to essentially be buried alive. The worst thing I ever had happen to was a tree crashing through my roof.  That was scary enough, but I lived to tell about it.

For more information, check out these sites:

• http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/mountains/news-10-worst-avalanches-history?image=9
• http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/english/avalanches/casestudies.shtml#10