Californians again reminded ‘Big One’ lurks in future

During a “quiet” period in California with no natural disasters involving brush fires, downpours, flooding, mudslides, citrus freezes or smog alerts, media thoughts regularly turn to seismic activity --- and the possibility of a “strong” earthquake looming on the distant horizon, observes Grumpy Editor.

That means looking into the crystal ball to see what’s in store to three decades ahead.

Grabbing chunks of print space/broadcast airtime this week was an Associated Press story by Alicia Chang that reported, “California faces an almost certain risk of being rocked by a strong earthquake by 2037” in a seismic forecast by scientists.  New calculations show a 99.7 percent chance of a magnitude 6.7 quake or larger by then, adds the story.

Quake forecasts for the Golden State seem to be an almost annual ritual to shake up readers and residents who don’t need to be reminded they are in earthquake territory, just as other parts of the country, on a more frequent basis, are susceptible to hurricanes, overflowing rivers, tornadoes and blizzards.

In January, 2007, the same AP writer, in a 150th anniversary story, recapped the Fort Tejon quake that rattled a 250-mile stretch from Central to Southern California.  The article also worked in mention that “the U.S. Geological Survey and other groups…are kicking off a year-long campaign to warn people to prepare for the Big One.”

Six months earlier, another major story advised that the southern end of the San Andreas fault near Los Angeles is overdue for (yep!) the Big One.

Rather than periodic warnings, the next “looming earthquake” piece should detail --- with input from experts in various fields from insurance to medical --- exactly how to prepare for the Big One.

Grumpy Editor’s end-of-week leftover notes:

Veterans, especially Marines, are furious over the April 21 Time magazine cover that spotlights global warming.  It shows the world-famous Iwo Jima photo, shot by AP's Joe Rosenthal, doctored up with a green treetop replacing the U.S. flag being put into position by Marines after one of the bloodiest battles of World War II...Confusion reigns:  At Monday’s Washington, D.C. annual Associated Press luncheon, with more than 1,100 in attendance, AP chairman W. Dean Singleton, in questions from the audience portion, asked speaker Sen. Barack Obama about the threat posed by “Obama bin Laden.”  A quick correction came from the podium.  “That’s Osama bin Laden,” said the senator, as some attendees laughed…Meanwhile, an Associated Press story on a rock star’s endorsement of Obama for president chewed up seven paragraphs Wednesday in many space-tight newspapers.  Bruce Springsteen declared, "He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years”…Major staff trimming:  Florida Communications Group of Media General has offered buyouts to half its 1,326 employees, including staffers at the Tampa Tribune, WFLA-TV, TBO.com and the company’s other media outlets in the region…Daily gets duped:  Boston Herald editors blushed Tuesday after spotting a top-of-page 6 screaming headline:  “VP guns for shootout with Hill.”  Under an Associated Press byline, the story (complete with Sen. Hillary Clinton’s photo inserted in the text) claimed during an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, Vice President Dick Cheney told Tim Russert that he didn’t believe Hillary Clinton’s claims that she loves guns and challenged her to show her stuff by accompanying him on a hunting trip.  Turns out the lengthy article was a blogger’s satire and material was not provided by AP, a speedy correction pointed out.  But the question remains:  How did the story find its way to the copy desk where no suspicions were raised?