FIVE HOURS TO LOS ANGELES?

Day 55 of the Lower Puna Eruption and another 5+ summit quake:

Just saw in the local paper that Puna (500 square miles) is almost as large as Oahu (600 square miles):

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So what did I learn from this journey from Hawaii to Seattle and Anchorage, what were the two most likely targets of my novel entitled Six Hours to ?:

• Both Seattle and Anchorage are mostly surrounded by protective lands, plus both cities are at elevations from 60 to more than 100 feet.

• I'll need to look for another city.
• Tokyo is eight hours by tsunami and plane away from the Big Island, but not in the right direction of likely major landslides from Hawaii.
• Santiago, Chile is 13 hours by tsunami, but there is no direct flight.
• San Francisco, too, is somewhat protected.

• Five Hours to Los Angeles was my original title, and looks like I might just return there.  Painting by Paul Jackson.
• However, Seattle and Anchorage will provide some characters I met, for, once the mega-tsunami is initiated, there will be scientific uncertainty as to what will really happen.  The anxiety will be at peak for at least 4 or those 5 hours, even in those two cities.

• Triggering of a mega-earthquake at the Cascadia Subduction Zone remains a highly likely storyboard inclusion, which could then activate the San Andreas fault, further sending a mega-tsunanami to Tokyo.  That would be the ultimate story, book and film.  Totally far-fetched, but a beginning point to write a novel.
• Is there any historical precedent for a mega tsunami?
• Watch this clip of the Nuuanu Landslide, which probably generated a tsunami exceeding 300 feet over California.
• Or this one, which wipes out Honolulu.
• Yet another, collapse of the Kilauea Volcano, generating a 100 foot tsunami over California.

• The most likely mega landslide will be the Hilina Slump, 5000 cubic kilometers of earth into the Pacific Ocean.  Interesting that the Nuuanu Landslide was also 5000 cubic kilometers, from Waking the Giant, by Bill McGuire, who I interviewed when I wrote my chapter on Six Hours to Seattle.
• The Hawaiian Islands have been around long enough that mega landslides have occurred 15 times (or maybe even 70, depending on what you consider as major).
• These landslides tend to occur when the environment is moist, such as during times of sea level rise.

I watched more World Cup soccer matches than I could have imagined, mostly because there was nothing else to do.  A few thoughts came to mind.  They truly need to eliminate the offside penalty.  Scores could go up to 25-23, but 1-0 matches are not exciting enough for me.  Helmets should be mandatory.

One of my dream (meaning I know this won't happen, but you can dream) bucket list items would be to be a referee at a World Cup game.  He is king, police force and Supreme Court, and in great physical condition, for he typically runs 12 miles/game.

No females yet in the World Cup, although it was reported that Fernanda Colombo (right) was to be named.  She was an assistant referee in 2014.  However, the story turned out to be erroneous.

I'll wear my Lionel Messi shirt today.  He is from Argentina, which will play France in the next round on Saturday.  The professional Barcelona team, led by Messi, is sponsored by the Qatar Foundation.

I was given this shirt by their government when I went to advise them on energy in 2010.  Read my HuffPo on this subject.  Note in the right column that one of my postings on Qatar was the most popular.  The next world cup will be held there, unless the payoff scandal becomes too, too embarrassing.  Then the cup moves to England.

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