An Ode to the USGS
How can you not love the USGS? I'm watching the news conference on CNN right now and am reminded of how many times I've watched these earthquake press conferences during my life. Always they are brilliant. Forever patient with the same dumb questions over and over again. They explain the science tremendously well -- the guy today is using references ranging from Charles Darwin to Jell-O -- and they are above all reassuring. Total pros. I remember Lucy Jones - who is quoted in some quake stories today - was the main media contact during one swarm of quakes when I was high school I think. I remember one pre-dawn quake she did the entire press conference with her sleeping toddler clutching at her as she reeled off all the latest earthquake stats with her routine professionalism and a smile.

I always figured these quake geologist were not-so-secretly giddy every time there was a big event because it meant new cool data and an opportunity to educate people about what they do.
- posted by Amy @ 12/22/2003 04:10:00 PM