History, Politics And Current Affairs

As things gradually got back to 'normal', I coached Fiona, Pete and Olwyn in 'General Science', back-filling gaps, plus Math through 'Pre-Calculus'. At which point, Fiona was 'Mathed Out', and the other two synergised each other, were off like rockets...

Fiona and I went to the Uni at Bangor. I did fun 'Astronomy with Geology', Fiona 'Regional Studies', so 'Welsh-Plus'. Then we both did a 'Teacher Training' conversion course, brought our new qualifications home. Our local college, re-built more robustly, found a double vacancy for us, my 'DoCC' opening doors. Fiona coached 'Voice', taught Welsh language and culture, 'Life Skills'. I taught 'General Science', tech-side 'Life Skills', and Math through 'Pre' to 'Basic Calculus'. Between us, we also ran the busy College 'Maker' club in what had been a temporary college 'barn'.

Pete and Olwyn stormed Physics, Math, 'Further Math' and 'Special Math', went off to Uni to read 'Physics with Math'. They collected lauded 'Double Firsts', plus much kudos for identifying a 'useful' cross-over between two fields of Math so arcane that they lost me...

For Fiona and me, life was good, but not all 'Kittens and Rainbows'. Despite our best efforts, she could not get pregnant. Wasn't her, wasn't me: WTF ??

Five years along, a senior endocrinologist visiting from 'Regional' happened to take an interest in Fiona's case. Raising eloquent eye-brows, she promptly diagnosed an 'ovarian cyst': It was doing just enough to thwart 'business', but not enough to be apparent via the usual tests.

A biopsy determined 'Pre-Cancerous', urgent surgery ensued. At least, as Fiona wryly observed, she had a spare...

After that, we needed a serious holiday to settle our nerves . A 'working' cruise ? Sounded like fun ! So, I taught 'Astronomy', my auto-tracking 'scope set up on the very top deck, a camera carrying pics to the lap-top. Fiona coached 'Voice'. A day out of Gibraltar, one of the 'entertainment' groups' lead singers collapsed, was helo-evacc'd. Fiona stepped in. Unrecognisable in a sassy 'Flapper' outfit, she gave those Classics new depths...

Several days later, some-what North-East of the Canaries' Volcanic Province, I learned that I had, after all, inherited Dad's knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, yet figuring a fix. Recognising bizarre 'thuds' and pale sea as a submarine volcanic eruption and pumice raft, I alerted the crew.

My saving the cruise-liner from a tug-tow then a lengthy stay in dock earned us a 'Golden Ticket', a life-time discount on future cruises.

This event also marked the first obvious evidence the Atlantic's spreading was reaching its natural limits, developing 'subduction'. Yes, there was an arcuate trench outside the 'Gulf of Trump'. Yes, there was one down in 'Penguin Country'. But, both lay to the West. The 'Gibraltar Arc' was *inside* the Med. This pumice marked the very, very start of the Eastern Atlantic Margin's failure, incipient descent. Okay, it would take a million years or three to really get going, but...

However, that, as they say, is another story...

Nik_SpeakerToCats wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 11:27 am The 'Gibraltar Arc' was *inside* the Med. This pumice marked the very, very start of the Eastern Atlantic Margin's failure, incipient descent. Okay, it would take a million years or three to really get going, but...

However, that, as they say, is another story...

Advance planning is very important. Never too early to start getting things prepared for a subduction zone.

Help I need a subduction pun.

The down-side of subduction zones is that when the slab reaches a certain depth, the volatiles begin to cook out, make their way to the surface. The Gulf Arc, Andes, Cascades, Japan etc etc...

jemhouston wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 12:49 pm Help I need a subduction pun.

What happens when two continents are attracted to each other, with one taking the lead?

That's clearly a case of subduction.

Thank you!

This reminds me of an episode between my wife and I early in our marriage.

We had gotten married in 2005 and then promptly driven to Alaska so I could do grad school. We flew back and forth to Jersey several times and my wife would frequently bemoan the long and difficult flights back and forth. One day I mentioned that I had come up with a solution. It still being early in our married life, my wife had not yet learned that when I had that smile and twinkle in my eye, it was best to not encourage me. So, she perked up and looked at me expectantly, obviously thinking that I had come to my senses and was interested in moving back to Jersey.

My response?

"Subduct Canada"

She didn't talk to me for a few hours.

Belushi TD

What that would do to the Great Lakes could prove *interesting*...

FWIW, are they getting isostatic up-lift ? are on 'hinge line' so neautral, or getting second-order 'down-throw' like New York, New York ?? ( Or, if UK-aware, London...)


Chuckles aside, there are several 'young-ish' subduction zones, enough 'very active' zones to concern, but no apparent examples of any 'just getting started'...

Unless you count the infamous Lisbon Event ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1755_Lisbon_earthquake

IIRC, this could be Iberia just being pushed a little further clockwise by Africa's pressure, Atlantic subduction zone 'rolling over in bed', both or neither...

I am not aware of significant isostatic rebound from the glaciation in the Great Lakes areas, but there may still be some. The area where you see the most dramatic rebound is around Hudson Bay. Apparently its somehting like a meter a century according to the Canadian Parks.

https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/mb/prin ... -discover4

Belushi TD