HI Canie & Steven, The Northern Anatolian fault in Turkey is compared to the SA. If I remember reading correctly the USGS warned Turkey just about 2 years ago of the dangers of that fault breaking just the way it has been recently.
Stress transfer seems to have just come to be believed. In my humble opinion, stress transfer makes total sense. In looking at the earth we have to look at gigantic pieces of a puzzle. Move one piece and it pushes another piece out of whack, etc.. I've also tried to explain but unless someone looks at the earth as a whole instead of just one state or area it doesn't make sense to them.
Big quakes can and do happen close together. A great recent example would be Turkey and Taiwan. You are right Steven, it's a lot to do with access to the truth or going out and digging it up from whatever sources we can, as we all do here.
We keep our supplies updated, generator in good running condition, and sleep with shoes and flashlights by the bed, even the kids cause you just never know.
Take care all, Lucinda