My main point today is that usually one gets what one expects, but very rarely in the way one expected it. Charles Francis Richter More Quotes by Charles Francis Richter More Quotes From Charles Francis Richter Nothing is less predictable than the development of an active scientific field. Charles Francis Richter development fields science Don't wait for extraordinary circumstance to do good; try to use ordinary situations. Charles Francis Richter procrastination motivation waiting Only fools, liars, and charlatans predict earthquakes Charles Francis Richter fool liars earthquakes I have a sense of humor; but over the years that sense has developed one blind spot. I can no longer laugh at ignorance or stupidity. Those are our chief enemies, and it is dangerous to make fun of them. Charles Francis Richter ignorance fun years The rose does not bloom without thorns. True, but would that the thorns did not outlive the rose. Charles Francis Richter thorns doe rose Spring makes everything young again except man. Charles Francis Richter young spring men I was lucky because logarithmic plots are a device of the devil. Charles Francis Richter devil plot lucky Most loss of life and property has been due to the collapse of antiquated and unsafe structures, mostly of brick and other masonry. ... There is progress of California toward building new construction according to earthquake-resistant design. We would have less reason to ask for earthquake prediction if this was universal. Charles Francis Richter loss life science I would walk - not run - to the nearest seismograph. Charles Francis Richter running science knowledge If one introduces the concept of energy of an earthquake then that is a theoretically derived quantity. Charles Francis Richter introducing energy earthquakes The most remarkable feature about the magnitude scale was that it worked at all and that it could be extended on a worldwide basis. It was originally envisaged as a rather rough-and-ready procedure by which we could grade earthquakes. We would have been happy if we could have assigned just three categories, large, medium, and small; the point is, we wanted to avoid personal judgments. It actually turned out to be quite a finely tuned scale. Charles Francis Richter judgment three earthquakes Refining is inevitable in science when you have made measurements of a phenomenon for a long period of time. Charles Francis Richter measurement science long In every area of the world where there is earthquake risk, there are still many buildings of this type; it is very frustrating to try to get rid of them. Charles Francis Richter risk earthquakes trying it is good to have measured myself, to recognize my limitations. Charles Francis Richter limitation Remembrance is the only paradise out of which we cannot be driven away. Charles Francis Richter paradise remembrance driven There is nothing more beautiful than cheerfulness in an old face, and among country people it is always a sign of a well-regulated life. Charles Francis Richter beautiful life country Magnitude may be compared to the power output in kilowatts of a [radio] broadcasting station; local intensity, on the Mercalli or similar scale, is then comparable to the signal strength noted on a receiver at a given locality. Intensity, like signal strength, will generally fall off with distance from the source; it will also depend on local conditions at the point of observation, and to some extent on the conditions along the path from source to that point. Charles Francis Richter distance science fall If the assumptions used in calculating energy are changed, then this seriously affects the final result, even though the same body of data might be used. Charles Francis Richter data body might No joy in nature is so sublimely affecting as the joy of a mother at the good fortune of a child. Charles Francis Richter nature mother children It is a common remark that men talk most who think least; just as frogs cease their quacking when a light is brought to the water-side. Charles Francis Richter light men thinking
