soundoff (169 Responses)

1. Tremblor
   

   The discussion about how much folks 'feel' quakes is mixing "magnitude" (energy released by a quake...measured in the richter scale), and "intensity" (the amount/strength the ground shakes at any point affected by the quake). Folks in the same quake can experience very different intensities depending on how far they are from the epicenter, what kinds of geology they happen to be on top of, and even the structure they are in. Comparing intensity across different quakes while talking about magnitude akin to mixing apples and oranges.

   November 5, 2011 at 11:46 am | Report abuse |
2. :) @Matt
   

   Well said and true. A 7.2 mag quake is 32 times more powerful than a 6.2. The richter scale is a lie and decieves people into thinking that EQ's are less rather than more.

   November 5, 2011 at 12:27 pm | Report abuse |
3. dick
   

   This is due to Fracking.

   November 5, 2011 at 12:27 pm | Report abuse |
   • Rich
     

     Fracking? You better Google earthquakes, tectonic action and Chicken Little

     November 5, 2011 at 12:38 pm | Report abuse |
   • nick-o
     

     I believe in fracking-related earthquakes, too.

     November 5, 2011 at 12:55 pm | Report abuse |
4. Missy
   

   I like how CNN put minor quake when the same size quake hit new England they said it was devastation. CNN reports everything in new England as if it is so much worse than anywhere else. Think I'm going to start watching fox

   November 5, 2011 at 12:35 pm | Report abuse |
   • bachmanntwit
     

     Fox is for idiots who can't think on their own.

     November 5, 2011 at 12:37 pm | Report abuse |
5. bachmanntwit
   

   God is punishing the people of Oklahoma for being too conservative.

   November 5, 2011 at 12:36 pm | Report abuse |
   • Roger
     

     I suppose MSNBC is for free thinkers, right? They will tell you all the things you want to hear that make you feel good about your worthless life....Republicans, Bad...Liberal, Good....everything wrong with the world is due to the evil conservatives.

     November 5, 2011 at 1:09 pm | Report abuse |
6. politico231
   

   I am amazed that only PhDs in geology and seismology commented on this article. Funny how the internet spawns a lot of experts in geology, politics, economics, etc. depending on the jist of the article.

   November 5, 2011 at 12:36 pm | Report abuse |
7. Joe
   

   Short and to the point.

   November 5, 2011 at 12:41 pm | Report abuse |
8. gene in pa
   

   i think fracking may be to blame for some earthquakes. i think of that oil in the ground as a lubricant that lets plates 'slide' past one another. remove that lubricant and the plates stop gliding and instead, release the pent up pressure. in addition, fracking is absolutely proven to polute groud water. the oil and gas companies now want to start fracking in the Marcelus Shale deposits here in n/e Pa. The acquifier they'll polute services 15 million residents. we're more dependent on well water here in Pa than other areas, and these greedy bastar*s want to risk the drinking water supply for millions just to make a few bucks. Fracking destroys the environment. I'm sure you've seen the reports of peoples well water literaly catching fire, WATER THAT BURNS, due to the methane released into the water supply, a direcdt and undeniable result of fracking. Add increased earthquake activity caused by fracking and one has to wonder, is the natural gas really worth the destruction fracking causes.

   November 5, 2011 at 12:48 pm | Report abuse |
   • nick-o
     

     Plus the odd cattle kills occurring in fracking zones makes you wonder how much of this seeps into groundwater supplies.

     November 5, 2011 at 12:56 pm | Report abuse |
   • Okie
     

     Oil is usually not found in the ground as a big pool that can lubricate rocks. It is inside the pores of the rock. When it is pumped out, the rock pieces and stuff have to be removed.

     November 5, 2011 at 12:58 pm | Report abuse |
9. nick-o
   

   Most of the research into fracking has been done by the industry seeking to extract the gas. I'm sure there are several pages of the study in the garbage can, as always. And they predicted 5x more initially than after they got their permits. Is it all worth it? I'm skeptical.

   November 5, 2011 at 1:00 pm | Report abuse |
10. gung hoe
    

    Bear in mind that Im saying this tongue and cheek. Hope hope oh i hope the earth opened in heavener ok , and swallerd her up

    November 5, 2011 at 1:20 pm | Report abuse |
11. gung hoe
    

    @MISSEY You start watching fox news you will never go back .Heck I find it hard to watch the local news anymore.Their pledge of fair and balanced and we report you decide are facts missy thats what they really do.Hope you like fox news as much as i do

    November 5, 2011 at 1:35 pm | Report abuse |
12. Jesus
    

    Oklahoma is what most people would consider the a**hole of America. It stinks and the only thing that comes out of there are worthless turds.

    November 5, 2011 at 1:51 pm | Report abuse |
    • Brit
      

      N where r u from?? Some of u ppl on here sound really stupid! This is the second earthquake that I know of within a years span! N Fracking..really?? Didn't know there were so many geologists that have a degree in knowing all about earthquakes..ect!!

      November 5, 2011 at 4:33 pm | Report abuse |
    • Proud to be an Okie!
      

      @ Jesus...ahhh did the Okies not put up with your BS...did you have to get a job or move on??? We take care of our own in Oklahoma...proud Native Americans....if you don't like part of our beautiful country why don't you go back to where you came from...we don't care to change our country for you....then it would be as bad as where you came from. Yep I'm an Indian, Cherokee, proud of it. This was our country first if you don't like it go home.

      November 5, 2011 at 6:54 pm | Report abuse |
13. gung hoe
    

    @ jesus 151 comment you must never been to oklahoma to have said that.Myself Ive been to every state in the nation and some of the nicest and most beautiful country Ive ever seen is in oklahoma

    November 5, 2011 at 2:16 pm | Report abuse |
14. bobcat ( in a hat )
    

    So many of these posters are so totally convinced these quakes are the result of fracking. Why ? Are they fracking in south america, ja pan, viet nam, ch ina, and everywhere else in the world ? Why can't people just accept that these are natural shifts in the eaths tetonic plates ? I'm guessing that explanation is just to simple.

    November 5, 2011 at 2:37 pm | Report abuse |
    • politico231
      

      Agreed bobcat. Where is the proof to support the claim that fracking causes earthquakes? Haven't heard anything like this in ND. Look up on the USGS website and read up on earthquake history in ND and OK. Seems to me that OK has a bit more seismic history than ND. These articles bring out the "experts" all of the time.

      November 5, 2011 at 4:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • bobcat (in a hat)
      

      @politico231

      I know. Every time the ground shakes, the chicken littles start running around spouting "expert" opinions and laying eggs.

      November 5, 2011 at 5:01 pm | Report abuse |
15. Bill
    

    Gonna blame Bush for this one...?

    November 5, 2011 at 4:22 pm | Report abuse |
    • bobcat (in a hat)
      

      How can you blame Bush, bless his pea brain self, when everybody knows damn well it's Obamas fault. (sarcasm)

      November 5, 2011 at 5:03 pm | Report abuse |