Looks like quite an earthquake, as the site says: “An earthquake like this causes damage that will never occur in a smaller event like the magnitude 6.7 Northridge earthquake. Getting ready for a Northridge does not get you ready for this.”

Well, the big deal comes into play when you experience more than just the “wow that was scary” part of the earthquake. It’s not a big deal when it just frightens you and breaks a few plates, but your house and everyone in your family is ok and accounted for.

However, if your experience of the Northridge earthquake was more like mine (living right on ground zero at the time), with my apartment building and most of my belongings totally destroyed and myself and my roommates nearly being killed and left with serious injuries… and no way to contact our families or even get help until many hours later… it really is a big deal.

True there’s no reason to panic, but there’s no reason to downplay the seriousness of it either. Given what I saw in the immediate aftermath of what happened in Northridge (or Katrina for that matter), I don’t think L.A. is in anyway prepared for what will happen when the shit really hits the fan.

Wait. Okay. Don’t panic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Prevost

On January 21, 1937, at the age of 38, secluded and hiding away from the world, living alone in an apartment house, Marie Prevost died from a combination of alcoholism and her self-imposed malnutrition. The primary cause of death was a heart attack. Her body was not discovered until January 23rd, when neighbors had complained about her dog’s incessant barking. The police report stated that her pet dachshund (named John Kelly for unknown reasons) “had chewed up her arms and legs in a futile attempt to awaken her.”

Actually, this story has been on most of the major news wires for a few days now.

It’s mostly desert. When I hear that the odds of a big one in range of a major metropolis are high I’ll listen. This sounds like the odds are good for something that just makes the yuccas dance and otherwise the people are all safe and happy. (Unless they’re sad for other reasons.)

Doesn’t matter. One needs to be prepared as if it is going to happen tonight. I learned that one the hard way in 1994. The only good thing to come of it is that I was one of 3 renters with quake insurance and I used the payout for the down on my house.