By the time you read this, the eclipse of the sun will have come and gone
We did see the entire 80 to 85% eclipse, thanks to a clear day, a rarity this month.
The solar event followed the lavishly publicized earthquake on Friday and led to a few “end of days” predictions. Coming next – a swarm of locusts.
It was the perfect TV story on an otherwise routine day, with the Philly weathercasters going into full geek mode and pulling out everything they learned from their geology courses – with an assist from Google.
It emerged as the top story on the national news broadcasts, although it would have been the fourth or fifth piece on California TV.
We learned too much about faults around the Big Apple that occasionally cause quakes. We also learned to go outside if the house is about to collapse.
New Yorkers noted the event with a typical blend of good humor and snarkiness with memes that included spilled pizza and Starbucks cups. New Jersey, the epicenter, was also an easy target.
A few Delawareans even dusted off memes about the 2017 Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge quake in Kent County that led to the tipped-over patio furniture photos and “We will rebuild” declarations.
On a more serious note, New Jersey did see some damage, with some houses in Newark evacuated for a time due to possible structural damage. They were later deemed safe. Aso reported was a collapsed retaining wall or two.
While I was not home at the time of this earthquake, it did bring back memories of the more serious 2011 tremor that damaged the Washington Monument and other buildings in the Nation’s Capital.
Sadly, there was a victim of that quake, a Swarovski crystal giraffe at our home. It remains on our curio cabinet, minus its lower legs. Sadly, staff at the glass place at Christiana Mall could not help us rebuild. – Doug Rainey.
