My guess is that you are not nearly as well prepared as you think you are.

You guessed wrong as hell and you don't know as much as you think you do.

For starters, I began my career in electronics working in the seismological instrumentation and I'm one of the co-inventors of the process that provides for controlled shut down of elevators in the event of an earthquake. I've also written several articles on the subject of earthquake safety and proposed several countermeasures to protect building equipment from damage. However, despite the advancements in structural engineering, I still avoid going into high rises and using elevators.

For my home purchase in San Francisco, I bought into a building that was seismically sufficient and also convinced the other owners to perform an additional structural upgrade to the latest code. Having some expertise on the subject of seismology, I'm always hyper-aware of the threat of earthquakes and I have stockpile of food and water plus I know some other survival techniques.

In my childhood days, I lived in the small farming community of Yellville, Arkansas where "living off the land" is the norm. In fact if a huge disaster hits, I know that living in the country (where the population density is much, much lower) is a lot safer than living in an urban area. In fact, I will be relocating back to the plains states where I can have more control over my life and develop my own resources for living.

As comments come in, I'll give you some more details on my survival training techniques that will make your hair stand on end!!!

 

And I'm still willing to bet that you aren't nearly as well prepared as you think you are.

You are assuming that you know what conditions will be like in San Francisco after such a quake, including how the other people that aren't as well prepared are going to react.

But you are going to go on thinking that you have it all figured out and when and if the day comes to put that preparation to the test, you will probably learn that there were a whole lot of things you overlooked.

None of this is saying that being prepared as best as you can is equivalent to not being prepared at all -- it's still all about trying to stack the odds in your favor.

 

And I'm still willing to bet that you aren't nearly as well prepared as you think you are.

You are assuming that you know what conditions will be like in San Francisco after such a quake, including how the other people that aren't as well prepared are going to react.

But you are going to go on thinking that you have it all figured out and when and if the day comes to put that preparation to the test, you will probably learn that there were a whole lot of things you overlooked.

None of this is saying that being prepared as best as you can is equivalent to not being prepared at all -- it's still all about trying to stack the odds in your favor.

Don't be willing to bet me on this one. Your odds are a bit more than winning at a casino.

In fact, I know of a few places in San Francisco where I could survive for months at a time without a problem if I had to. I can't reveal the location of these places and most people don't even have a clue they even exist. However they have a virtually unlimited supply of fresh water and a sewer connection. Access to clean water and sanitation is the main trick to surviving for an extended period.

Furthermore, I'm also planning a trip to Metro Manila, Philippines to make a documentary on poverty in that city. Perhaps 2 million Filipinos live in slums and perform very menial labor that most people do not believe exists. However, I will not be staying in a 5 Star hotel. Instead I will be living with some of these families and actually doing their jobs.

Stay tuned for more.

 

Stay tuned for more.

Now you've caught my attention. I'll certainly be waiting to hear from you.
Perhaps you could open up a new thread when you get back and narrate some of your experiences for us?

 

I know of a few places in San Francisco where I could survive for months at a time without a problem if I had to.

It's a good thing you learned geometry!

(Just trying to get the Thread back on Topic.)

 

It's a good thing you learned geometry!

(Just trying to get the Thread back on Topic.)

Yeah... a man who doesn't know his geometry cannot possibly survive an earthquake...

 

Back to Off topic...I suspect that without an externally caused disaster, we will soon approach the limits of our planet like bacteria in a Petrie dish and die from our own effluent.
Right now, the world is set up with this massive consumerism model where half the people don't know how to grow a carrot. When that model goes bad there won't be enough living to bury the dead.
In other words, the slope of the hypotenuse approaches infinity.

 

In other words, the slope of the hypotenuse approaches infinity.

You and your acute observations leading to an obtuse vision of the world...

 

Geometry is important but Bateman physics is vital.

 

Too much Zombie Apocalypse lately?

 

It doesn't take much to be too much.

 

Geometry is important but Bateman physics is vital.

Why is the guy naked and the woman fully clothed?

 

Why is the guy naked and the woman fully clothed?

We have to keep females interested in science too.

 

We have to keep females interested in science too.

I would prefer to take the area under her curves.

 

I would prefer to take the area under her curves.

you lack ambition, I'd rather take the volume...

 

You and your acute observations leading to an obtuse vision of the world...

HP, is that you?

 

HP, is that you?

knowing @Hypatia's Protege enormous linguistic capabilities.... I'll take that as a compliment

 

HP, is that you?

Can't be, there are words with four (or fewer) letters.

 

Can't be, there are words with four (or fewer) letters.

a few weeks ago I learned the meaning of the phrase "wet blanket"... I think you might just qualify...

 

Geometry is natures math. It's the stanchion of balance and conversion.

Energy and mass have the same geometry. This is why energy and mass have the same relationship on any scale.

This is why the constants are the same anywhere at anytime.

Calculus approximates, geometry defines.