Alien Warns Kids of Earthquake Danger

Yesterday we posted on Obama's urging of the 11 states around the New Madrid fault to have earthquake drills.  Illinois is one of the states that is on the fault and could have millions of people impacted. 

So today we learn the state of Illinois paid a video game designer over $250,000 to put together a computer game for kids to learn about earthquake danger.  In the game an alien named Zorg comes out of his flying saucer and tells the kids about the dangers of earthquakes and how they can be prepared.

Calling it "Disaster Ville," state officials used federal Homeland Security grant money to develop a children's video game.


With a crescendo of cheesy thriller music, the day the earth shook begins. "Welcome to Disaster Ville," says the sign, and a young boys plays ball-- unaware of the danger that lurks beneath his feet. This is the video game featured on the State of Illinois Emergency Management website, touting next Thursday's earthquake preparedness drill.

A 7 or 8-level shaker along the New Madrid fault line could affect more than 15 million people, topple thousands of bridges and buildings, and, emergency officials say, result in catastrophic loss of life.

More than 400 Indiana schools and 600,000 residents got a head start Tuesday with their own earthquake exercise.

"I'm not taking it lightly. This is a serious drill to practice," said Perry Township, Ind., teacher Kelly Chamberlain.

While Illinois emergency officials plan similar drills next week, for now this is how they want children to prepare: With that little boy in the video game being visited by a flying saucer and an alien called Zorg telling him he is in "great danger." The one-eyed alien then leads him on a treasure hunt through a virtual home, gathering up equipment that you might need in the event of the big one.


See it here; http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=8082750

Friends....you simply can't make this up!!  Aliens and the New Madrid fault all in the same article!  Also take note that the article talks about an earthquake on the New Madrid toppling thousands of bridges.....I believe we just blogged about such a scenario....like yesterday.

Hat tip to Jared F.