All, deadly quakes (and Katrina) make me think about what I should be doing. The answer for me is to try harder to get information published. I have not said much on this page about being prepared (others have). But I sent the email below to HW, HD, and a geologist-seismologist I work with:

"Deadly quakes like this make me think that I should do something. First would be of course to get the Palos Verdes manuscript resubmitted. Second (but don't have time right away) would be to work towards intensive offshore interpretation of the San Gregorio fault.

*****, the San Gregorio fault is a right-lateral strike-slip fault that is rather close to Santa Cruz City, just offshore. One of its major strands comes ashore between Santa Cruz and Ano Nuevo where you saw the elephant seals yesterday. the whole system is supposed to be active at a rate comparable to the fault that broke in Haiti.

The page that I post on used to talk a lot about being prepared for a quake. It would not be a bad idea to keep an earthquake kit there. You, and your housemates, should keep a few gallons of water each, maybe some food that is preserved (canned, or dry), a first aid kit, maybe even some tools.

I don't want to scare you: your house is new and built after the 1989 earthquake so I assume built to stand strong shaking."

Chris