Pocatello, Idaho

[Libby]

The reason that Dennis Hoffman gives in this episode for reserving an hotel room is Pocatello, Idaho, is "531 miles from the nearest coast. 4,448 feet above sea level. A seismic oasis...". I ended up on Wikipedia's page for Pocatello, Idaho, and there's no reference there to it being what I assumed was the case from the episode "Force Majeure", namely being one of the safest places should there be a major catastrophe of the Biblical flood/global warming kind.

The reason I ended up on that page on Wikipedia is that Pocatello is the birthplace of Roy Hazelwood, a member of the Academy Group which was the model for season 1's Millennium Group. The episode was written by Chip Johannessen, so I wonder if this reference to Pocatello was a tribute by Chip to Mr Hazelwood.

[The Old Man]

Interesting theory Libby! Whenever I watch that episode, I wonder about that location too! According to Wikipedia's article it rests at 4,462 ft above sea level, so it looks like Chip Johannessen really did his homework!

Its a great episode, and I always savour it because its the first to really look at the (then) coming Millennium and what it may mean in terms of end times.

[Walkabout]

Looks like a cool place to visit...but live there???

[model217]

Looks like a cool place to visit...but live there???

I wouldn't mind living there but I would have to change careers. I don't think growing tropical plants would go over well there. Maybe Christmas trees.

[Earthnut]

Its a great episode, and I always savour it because its the first to really look at the (then) coming Millennium and what it may mean in terms of end times.

I agree, it is definitely one of my favorites, and I still haven't found out the title(s) of the music in it. So far it's not on any of the CDs or listed anywhere.

Just as an added note, the spiritual interpretation of "end of the world" is the end of the systems of men, not the end of the planet. There are so many of the systems of men that I think need to end because they are doing more damage then good. To me the spiritual fulfillment of prophecy makes so much more sense then man's feeble attempt with literal interpretations, and most of the time they don't agree.

I agree, I too would love to visit Pocatello, Idaho.

Anybody know if there's actually a seismic oasis anywhere?

[Walkabout]

" Anybody know if there's actually a seismic oasis anywhere?"

actually there is one in Utah but they're storing a million tons of toxic waist there

[The Old Man]

LOL! Seriously? That is awful!

[IHaveGoodInstincts]

I always wondered about the seismic oasis thing too. Knowing what I know about good ol' Chip (thanks TIWWA!), I know he does his homework when he writes a script. Pocatello is in the yellow part, but not by much!

Southeastern Idaho looks somewhat prone to earth quakes, but not right at Pocatello. Here's what I found:

Here a link to a PDF file for southeastern Idaho.

https://www.bhs.idaho.gov/pages/Preparedness/Hazards/PDF/The%20Intermountain%20Seismic%20Belt%20in%20SE%20Idaho.pdf

[The Old Man]

Fascinating stuff, thanks for that. This sort of thing really makes you think.

[ethsnafu]

I was reading something somewhat related recently that stated that one of the safest places on earth in the event of an Earthquake is to be found in a great many parts of Africa, which for a large part consist of ancient stable cratons, and apart from the east-african rift valley and its northern border where it pushes into europe only has passive margins. Interesting isn't it that the place where mankind allegedly began is also the place it would be wise to return to at the end.

Rather poetic.

Eth