Car Shopping Day is a Very Dangerous Day II

Always take your test drive on a long and winding road, preferably with hills, so you can truly get a feel for the car.  This is something I learned today, and it has led to the new car being knocked from the short list.  Its performance was okay, but failed to knock my socks off.  Besides, it didn’t have any air conditioning.  When a car’s going to end up traveling to Arizona, this is a serious drawback.

If I’d had the money for a higher-end model, circumstances would probably be otherwise.  That manufacturer is making some sweet machines.

I shan’t be getting a brand new Nissan, as the dealership is asking prices that made me laugh.  They also played the “let me talk to the sales manager” gambit, which doesn’t go over well with me.

So it’s down to a celebrity death match between the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V being sold by my favorite dealer, and the Honda Civic LX-S being sold by the other guys.  I wish the Civic was at my favorite dealer’s lot.  Sigh.  But I suppose my choice will depend on how I feel in the morning.  My intrepid companion came along for the day’s car shopping adventures, and likes the Sentra quite a lot.  Lumbar support, you see.

Yes, in a Sentra.  This is one that had upgrades.  Many.  Upgrades.  One of which would be getting torn out of the trunk at my earliest convenience if I buy that car – what the fuck do I need a subwoofer for?  We’d be keeping the moon roof and the superb

Either way, my decision shall be made tomorrow.  And you lot won’t have to suffer me babbling about this experience any longer.

Chris shall probably groan when he learns I’m buying one of the used cars on his “don’t buy used if you can help it” list, but financial circumstances mean I either go used, go without, or go with a car I’m not thrilled by.  Considering how long I intend to keep this vehicle, I need to be thrilled.  Possibly even ecstatic.

We’ll just see how thrilled the guys with the Civic are when I tell them how much I want to pay for it.  Hee.

Car Shopping Day is a Very Dangerous Day II
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Test Driving with Geology

I once again hauled myself out of bed at the buttcrack o’ dawn and headed down to a dealership for some desultory tire-kicking.  I shall not yet be naming names, but let’s just say that prior to this there was a spirited exchange between me and the salesman, in which I discovered he’d started reading ye olde blog.  I’ve never yet test-driven a car with a reader.

I’ll be utterly honest: I liked him, and not just because he said flattering things about this humble cyber-cantina.  He spent time getting a good feel for what I wanted, and aimed me in appropriate directions. This is precisely what dealers should do, and it’s appreciated.  Either Seattle’s different or things have changed since I last trailed my father around to different dealerships, doing awful things like test-driving cars in snowstorms because my dad knew he’d get a better bargain on yucky days, because I haven’t yet run into dealers oozing oil.  My dear dealer-reader stands out even among the comfortable salesmen I’ve spent the last few days with.  Even if I don’t end up buying a car from him, I’ll have no problem steering business his way.

His identity shall be revealed at the end of my searches, as long as he consents.  Otherwise, you can contact me for the info, should you be in the Seattle area and wanting to see a man about a car.

Tomorrow, it’s off to my stalkers at Nissan for a discussion about the price of new cars and how my bank account can’t deal with same.  Look, I have books to buy and field trips to finance – not going to spend all of my monthly cash on a car, m’kay?  Today’s dealer seems to understand that.  Will they?

So yes, car shopping continues fine, and I’m now spoiled for choice.  My intrepid companion’s agreed to allow me to drag him along tomorrow to help me narrow down the final contenders – since he’s always with me on these trips, he should have some input regarding the car I stuff him in to.

I see you squirming.  You’re tired of this car-shopping talk and want your geology, don’t you?  Well, you shall have it.

You see, my dealer has been perusing some posts here, and we discussed a bit o’ this and that whilst tooling around in various autos.  At one point, he asked me if there were volcanoes near Seattle.  Meaning, other than Mounts Rainier and Baker (if you ever get to meet him in person, ask about Baker – you’ll marvel).

That would be a huge yes.  There’s Glacier Peak, in fact, which was recently highlighted by my favorite Northwest geoblogger, Dan McShane.  Mount Rainier’s closer, but not by much, and if you’re living in the North Sound sneering at all those idiots in the South Sound who might get buried in the next big eruption, well, between Baker and Glacier Peak, you’re probably covered.  In lahars, that is.

Courtesy of USGS

Courtesy of USGS

The biggest danger from Mount Rainier is to the South Sound area, and we’re not so much worried about it going boom as going splat:

Courtesy of USGS

Rainier’s not very noisy as far as stratovolcanoes go, not likely to put on a big pyrotechnic show, but it’s rotting from the inside.  It’s one tiny eruption, one heavy warm rainfall, or one earthquake away from releasing a mudflow that will seriously inconvenience a good number of Puget Lowland residents.  It’s not considered the most dangerous volcano in America for nothing.

So, neither of the easily-visible volcanoes are likely to present Seattle with an impressive show (unless you count being buried under volcanic mudflows as a great afternoon’s entertainment).  But Glacier Peak’s been known to go boom in a big way (pdf).

Courtesy of USGS


It’s not the most active of our area’s volcanoes, but if it wakes up, it could very well get our attention.  And while the winds usually blow east, they don’t always.  Seattle could end up buried under ash, and from a mountain people don’t always realize is there, or recognize as a volcano.  Glacier Peak hides among the peaks of the Cascades rather than dominating the skyline on its own.  It’s easy to overlook, but it sure won’t be when it blows.

So, why do we have mountains created by uplift and folding, and mountains created by booms big and small, all looming on Seattle’s skyline?  Let’s have a look at a couple of illustrations.

First, the Cascade volcanoes:

Courtesy of USGS



Now the Cascade Range as a whole:

Courtesy of Wikipedia


You may notice a distinct linear motif.  There are many hefty geologic tomes, research papers, and seminars that explain just why this is, but we can sum up thusly:

Courtesy of PNSN


Classic subduction zone, my darlings.  As the North American plate heads west, the Juan de Fuca plate goes down under.  So you get mountain-building because things get smooshed- just run a couple of throw rugs in to each other, and you’ll see the wrinkles develop.  Now imagine you had a heat source under the floor, and one rug dipping into it as it slides beneath the top rug.  Bits melt.  Warm things being warm, the melty bits rise, and find weak spots to escape from, and you have volcanoes amidst your wrinkly bits.  Crash!  Bang!  Ba-boom!

That’s the quick-and-dirty explanation of what’s going on round the Seattle area.  It’s what gives us spectacular scenery that could very well kill us one day.  And to think I haven’t even mentioned the faults, the subduction zone quakes, and the tsunamis!  Or the three thousand feet of ice we’ll be enjoying if the Ice Age decides to mount a comeback.

Just look at it this way: we’ve got a front-row seat to some of the most spectacular shows geology can put on.  As I told my dear dealer, our geology’s young, but it’s had a busy youth.  And it ain’t half done yet.

Test Driving with Geology

Car Shopping Day is a Very Dangerous Day

How I love Rocko’s Modern Life.  If you don’t get the title of this blog, set your DVR to record some Rocko, and you’ll soon see what inspired that title.

So, after a horrible night’s sleep (don’t ask), I went out and made friends with a 2009 Honda Civic.  I’m not a Honda woman, but for the right price, I could become one.  It’s only just not the right price.  And possesses a bizarre accelerator pedal.  Outside of that, though, she’s well-behaved on the freeway, easy to get to know, and reasonably roomy.  Immaculate inside and out.  Definitely worth considering.

Then, just for the hell of it, I drove a Toyota Corolla with a manual transmission.  We did not become friends.  It was better than the Bronco I once drove, the one whose clutch defeated my uncle, but it was a close-run thing.  Both the dealer and I knew we were just out in it for the sake of having something else to look at, and that was it.  All they had.  The manual transmission is fast going the way of the dodo, which is really too bad.

Not enough time to nose about elsewhere before work, so those were all I saw.  Tomorrow, it’s on to a Sentra and possibly some other things, and Sunday I have an appointment with my stalkers.  Yes, the dealership I took my Nissan to for its 60,000 mile maintenance called, said they wanted to offer me my choice of 2010 Sentras for under invoice.  They’d discovered from some web form I’d filled out that I was shopping.  Well, why the hell not?  A brand-new car is out of my price range, alas, but they’re nosing about to see what they can dig up. 

I appear to be spoiled for choice.

Tomorrow, I have to see my agent about an auto loan.  He’s been begging me to apply for one since I started with him, so can do.  Within a few days, we should be set.

Chris has a comment up on a previous post that anyone in the market for a car should read.  Bookmark it for future reference.  You will thank him someday.  I shall thank him today.  Thank you, Chris!

And, finally, if any dealers are reading this (I know at least one dropped by earlier): if you want to be the lucky recipient of my money, make me an offer I can’t refuse.  Just remember that my bragging right for my previous baby was that I’d gotten her practically brand-new for $2,000 under wholesale invoice.  That’s right.  Wholesale.  And yes, I live within walking distance of work, so I can walk away from quite a few things. 

With that in mind, it shall be a pleasure doing business with you!

Car Shopping Day is a Very Dangerous Day

Geology in Bed, at Work, and at a Friend's Place

Ye gods, what a day.  It began at around 3:30am, when Aunty Flow kicked me out of bed for a discussion on pain tolerance.  My side of the discussion is unprintable, even on this potty-mouthed blog.  I spoke to my old friend Ibuprofen, who then negotiated with my darling aunt, and a few hours later we headed back to bed, still achy but no longer turning the air blue, and attempted a bit more sleep.

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you’re certain you’re awake until you realize this whacked-out shit doesn’t happen IRL?  Well, I did.  I had some test drives planned, and since I no longer had the rental, the dealership brought the cars to me.  First clue this wasn’t the Really Real World.  But whilst my rational brain shouted, “Hey, waidaminnit!” and tried to kick me out of bed, my dreaming brain adventured merrily on.  How we ended up scrambling up and over some very rocky cliffs when seconds before we’d been test driving, I don’t know.  But no shit, there I was, jamming my poor abused sneakers into handy cracks and crevices on a very rough service (vesticular basalt, I believe, possibly some aa,) and watching the holes wear through.  “It’s a small price to pay for science,” I told myself as the destruction mounted toward catastrophic.  “But I hate shoe shopping.”

Needless to say, I woke up exhausted from all the virtual field work.

This evening, I awed my friend Sean by sending him a link to this post at Magma Cum Laude.  It’s a pretty stark example of how much destruction pyroclastic flows cause.  Or is that construction?  Lots o’ new land, there, which will be prime real estate some fine day.  Right now, it’s just a fine demonstration of how harsh Mother Earth can be (damn, I wish I could remember Sean’s remark about that.  It was classic).

My pseudonymous friend Rachel dropped by my desk just after I’d run across this bit of yum:



Geologists in the audience will know just what’s going on.  For those not versed, go to the link for the answer. 

In the meantime, the rest of us should head over to my intrepid companion’s place, where he has delicious photos up of basalt dikes near Devil’s Churn, and Devil’s Churn itself.  It appears I’ve now dragged him along on enough geological escapades that he’s starting to develop an interest.  Huzzah!

Right, then, are my geo-curious folks back from The Panda’s Thumb?  Little shocked that you’re not looking at a tree growing through stacks of boards, or a stone wall, aren’t ye?  So was Rachel.  So was I, for that matter, because at a casual glance, that’s precisely what it looked like.  I’d need to get my hands (and possibly my tongue and perhaps a little vinegar) on those rocks to know for sure what they are, but they’re very likely sedimentary, possibly metamorphosed, and were a lot less chaotic before that tree had its way with them.  I found myself explaining to her in very general terms how some rocks can fracture in such an even manner, comparing them to the Moenkopi Formation at home, which had a habit of breaking off in nice, handy bits just perfect for a little pueblo-building.  My hands did the demo, showing how rocks minding their own business could be severely disturbed by rude roots. I pointed out the rough bits that look like a contact with a different rock layer, which tells us even if we didn’t already know that this isn’t an archaeological treasure, but built by nature.  And she listened, and made the awed noises, and looked at that photo with new eyes.

This, my darlings, is why I want to learn geology.  I like making magic.  And revealing what the rocks say is magical.

Geology in Bed, at Work, and at a Friend's Place

Commending These to Your Attention

I have to go to bed early so that I’m nice and fresh for fending off used car salesmen in the morning.  I haven’t yet decided how I’m going to approach this situation.  I got my hand in by test-driving a car I’m lukewarm about, and managed to escape without being invited back to the office to discuss a deal.  But we’re in the big leagues, now, going to two different large dealerships and seeing two cars I adore already.  One is the snappiest Nissan Sentra I’ve ever seen in my life, complete with spoiler (and black!), the other a nearly-new Honda Civic that looks utterly delish.  Both are manual transmission.  Both are low mileage.  Both have clean Carfax reports.  And both seem like they would make me a happy woman indeed.  So I have two issues, here: 1) must talk salesman into lowering prices and 2) must choose between them.  What if the price is right for both?  What if I fall head-over-heels for both? 

Sean and I pondered this during the slow bits of work, and decided the only mechanism for choice would be to throw the used car salesmen in a mud wrestling pit.  Victor gets the sale.

(Gentlemen, if you’re reading this, I just want to assure you it very probably won’t come to that.  But you might want to have swim trunks to hand just in case.)

Anyway, whist I’m off on those adventures, here are a few links to keep you occupied.

Bing at Happy Jihad’s has treated an Answers In Genesis “research paper” with due respect, i.e., none.  I plucked two quotes from it, one because it’s beautiful, the other because I couldn’t resist going there.

Quote #1:

The overwhelming consensus of the astronomical community is that you are not a part of it, Jason. 

Brilliant.  Simply brilliant.

Quote #2:

The Bing Bang sits on your head and farts, feeb.

So, ah, I guess that would be Bing Bang Boom, then.  Ah ha ha.

Right. 

Our own John Pieret (may he get well soon!) points out that John Wilkins has an important project going.  Scientists!  Here’s your chance to shape a book explaining the basics of scientific method(s) to laypeople such as myself:

So scientists should follow the series and assist in formulating the manual and nonscientists can help in making it intelligible to people like them. Everyone can, I’m sure, learn something along the way and have fun in the effort.

Set to!

Finally, a pair o’ quotes and a post from Steve Benen.

Quote #1:

Republicans will keep asking, “Where are the jobs?” and no one seems inclined to answer, “Your party got rid of them.”

Quote #2:

And maybe it’s just me, but when I hear about a “Goldilocks” planet that appears capable of supporting life, I don’t think, “Cool, maybe there are aliens there.” I think “Cool, maybe we can move there after we’ve finished screwing up here.”

And the post:  “Lying About Lying is Never a Good Idea.”  Just remember, kiddos, the woman who lied and lied and lied and then lied about lying repeatedly is the same one who said that a person hiding Jews should always tell the truth when Nazis come looking for said Jews, because lying is never ever justified.

How’s that again, Christine?

Commending These to Your Attention

Bits and Pieces of Note

I’ve got this random collection of open tabs, which may be of interest to some viewers.

First up is a delicious collection of rocks Suzanne found for me.  In a field of drumlins and glacial till in Boston Harbor, young landforms dumped by retreating ice sheets, you can see occasional outcrops of the Earth’s bare bones.  Islands of 600 million year-old mudstone in a sea of young upstarts – you can practically hear it yelling at the drumlins, “Backbones!  Why, back in my day, people didn’t even have backbones!  Newfangled contraptions!” and “Ah, to be young and muddy again!”

Silver Fox posted this delightful bit on field geology just as we were collecting Lockwood and heading off for Mary’s Peak.  My intrepid companion and I hadn’t gotten a chance to read it ourselves, but Lockwood gave us a good precis, and the rest of the trip was filled with references to “x-mph geology.”  I just have to quote this bit:

The speed-geology terminology, along with an unrelated warp speed terminology, was invented by myself and another thermally altered geo-type back in the 1980s, probably while bouncing up and down some excessively rocky road in the Mojave Desert. Warp speed terminology is appropriate when gauging speed rather than geology: Warp 1 is 10 mph, a speed indicating that one is probably going steeply uphill or traversing one of those terribly rocky roads. Warp 2 (20 mph) is much preferred to Warp 1, but that still isn’t much. If Scotty will give it all she’s got, maybe you can get your speed up to Warp 4 or 5 on a dirt road, which is heaven, unless the washboard causes “She’s breakin’ up, Captain,” in which case Scotty will have to wind the engines down to a more comfortable Warp 3 or 4. Also, Warp 4.5 to 5 on a dirt road can result in extreme turbulence when one comes over a hill and then bottoms into some unexpected washout on the other side. Scotty might then decide that, “She’s comin’ apart, Captain,” which isn’t a good thing no matter what warp you happen to be doing. Scotty has already resorted to, “I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain!” Since that hasn’t worked, you might then have to stop to regenerate your dilithium crystals (or have lunch or some other refreshment). Trees are in scarce supply in the Mojave, so the shade of your truck might be all you’ll have for the precious dilithium to regenerate in.

When I read that, I laughed so hard I very nearly cried.  Had I been drinking fluid of any description, my poor keyboard wouldn’t have survived the experience.

I know most of you have seen Callan Bentley’s delectable post on the rocks of Haghia Sophia, but I hope you gave some attention to his delightful write-up of the Champlain thrust fault as well.  It’s pictures like this:



that make his blog sparkle for me.  I never know when I’m going to get hit with an unexpected image that illustrates a geologic concept in oddball ways.

Speaking of images, you really should treat yourself to Dan McShane’s sunset pics.  Go on.  You deserve it!

In great good news from home, it looks like Pima County’s light ordinances are doing the trick, and Arizona astronomy shall be going strong for quite some time to come.  Oh, how I miss those deep, dark desert skies!

And, in news that might interest those of my readers who hope to be counted as authors someday, it seems self-publishing isn’t quite the death-knell it used to be (h/t).  Agents aren’t looking at that self-published tome as an automatic admission that you suck so badly as a writer that you had to pay someone to print your pablum on pulp.  That’s encouraging!

Additionally, another bit that will delight the literary types among us: “Goodbye, cruel words: English. It’s dead to me.”

Now, I know what you’re asking.  You’re bouncing up and down on your toeses howling, “But Dana, where are the bloody vacation pics?!”  And the answer is, “They’re coming.  Tomorrow, in fact.”  Lockwood’s got a bit on Mary’s Peak posted, and I’ve got some supplemental photos for that all picked out.  It’s just a matter of ensuring I’m really seeing what I think I’m seeing (seriously need to start using the audio notes feature of that camera, damn it).  Then I shall put them up for you, along with some other select bits.  Why not tonight, you ask?  Because the cat just crawled into my lap, insists on pinning my arms in one place, and refuses to keep her bloody paws off the keyboard.  It is terribly difficult to manipulate photos when the cat keeps randomly clicking the mouse.

Why not move the cat, you ask?  Have you seen how my cat reacts when asked to move?



Let’s just say she becomes upset.  And she recently figured out the precise position she needs to be in so that maximum damage can be caused before self-defense measures can be employed.  Clever little beast.  Homicidal and clever.

Bits and Pieces of Note

Geological Humor. Plus, Choices.

Woozle has been a cherished patron of this cantina since very nearly the moment it opened.  Whilst I was away viewing non-flaming geysers, he left this note:

…and on a completely different tack, some geological humor for you

I clicked the link.  I viewed link.  I read the link.  A giggle grew to a guffaw, and then an outburst of laughter that left the cat rather disgruntled.  I would have screamed, “I love you, Woozle!” but the neighbors might’ve objected, seeing as how it’s after midnight.

My darlings, you must go read



There’s more.  There’s far more.  And yes, it does get exciting.

As if Woozle wasn’t enough, Karen made me blush, shuffle my feet, mumble “aw, shucks,” and want to give her a hug fit to crack her ribs.  Mind you, this was after I’d jumped up and down screaming “She’s alllliiiivvvveee!”  Worried about my Bay-area readers after that whole San Bruno thing, y’know.

Now, since I was off chasing after mythical flaming geysers all day, I didn’t visit so much as one political blog, therefore no Dumbfuckery du Jour.  However, when I got to my intrepid companion’s house, I found he’d taken care of the situation for us.  Let’s just say that, although I’d nearly gotten squished by a couple of idiot drivers on the freeway and had just discovered my camera was safely home over thirty miles away, I still ended up laughing my ass off.  Cujo does an excellent job trivializing the trivial, so consider his post our Dumbfuckery du Jour.

And, finally, I missed #womeninscience.  Whoops!  Allow me to make some amends by pointing you to Anne’s post at Highly Allochthonous, and this old post o’ mine celebrating some unsung women of science.

So, raise a glass to all the wonderful women in science, and then raise another to yourselves.  You all make my day, each and every day. 

Geological Humor. Plus, Choices.

Relative Dangers

I’m currently reading Fire Mountains of the West.  It has caused me to reconsider certain of my assumptions, namely that Seattle’s far enough away from all the fire mountains to be relatively safe from their upsets.  This assumption turns out to be wrong.

Facts must be faced: I’ve decided to live in one of the most tectonically interesting parts of the United States.  If the volcanoes don’t get me, the megathrust and regular ol’ subduction zone earthquakes might.  There’s also a reasonable chance of a tsunami.  Oh, and don’t forget the landslides.  Additionally, if a new ice age were to suddenly strike, I’d be under 4,000 feet of ice.  Conversely, should global warming get much worse, I could end up unintentionally living on an island.  That’s not even to mention the traffic woes.

So yes, there are times, like now, when I think that perhaps I should return to the quieter climes of Arizona, where all I have to worry about is running out of water and perhaps getting barbecued during the next fire season.  The place is, for the most part, tectonically dead boring.  But then I consider the assorted fucktards in charge, and the fucktards that vote them in, and the fucktarded shit they do on a daily basis.

Thank you, but I’ll take my chances with the fire mountains et al.  They’re statistically less likely to kill me.  Should I return to my dear old home state, I’d probably die of apoplexy within the first six months.

Relative Dangers

It's a Beautiful Day

Sun is shining, birds are singing, I’m home from work… fighting a rearguard action to keep this bloody cold out of my nose.   Eventually, I hope to retake my larynx.  Argh argh argh.

But we are making progress.  I’ve managed to stay awake for more than one hour, and I’m able to smoke as much as 1/3 of a cigarette at a time now.  I always think that a cold would be an excellent time to quit smoking, but the addiction always proves too strong.  I shall probably be one of those sad people taking alternate hits off an oxygen tank and a cancer stick. 

I’ve discovered some interesting things this illness.  Like package inserts.  The company doc put me on antibiotics – I have no idea why, as I suspect this is a virus, but then he says a course should keep me from ending up with severe bronchitis, so yay.  They have antibiotics now that don’t require ten days of remembering to take a pill three or four times.  You pop two the first day, one a day for the next four, and voila.  They come with a rather lengthy package insert, which I’ve never bothered reading before.  I perused this one, and discovered all sorts of detail.  I mean, this is the kind of stuff most normal people wouldn’t bother to read, much less comprehend.  But after so much reading up on science over the last year or so, I actually found it interesting.  It tells you how the antibiotics work (“by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit of susceptible microorganisms and, thus, interfering with microbial protein synthesis.  Nucleic acid synthesis is not affected.”).  You can find out how much of it will end up in your system, and how many days it takes before it’s gone (nearly three after the last dose).  You’ll even discover how your body gets rid of it (liver, not kidneys). 

All of this stuff is written in super-dense language not meant for the typical layperson.  If you ever wondered why your doctor had to go through so many years of medical school, look no further than the package insert.

So that’s what I’ve been doing on this brilliant, beautiful day.  And now, I’m going to enjoy the wonderful weather by… going back to bed.  Argh argh argh.

It's a Beautiful Day