I have some upstairs nieghbors. Let's just leave it that they recycle apple pie tins for hats.
Earlier this evening a reported ( big yawn) 3.1 earthquake was reported WAAAAAY to the east of us.
Within minutes I hear bambambambambam as hurried footsteps shook the stairwell. I saw my nieghbors running past my window with sleeping bags, lanterns, the cheap tent retrieved from the dumpster.
I hear snippets of conversation ' This is one of the signs in the Mayan prophecies, and right on time!'
I watched as they set camp on the grass commons ( the grass that has an automatic sprinkler system timed for midnight.)
The news updated a few minutes ago. I'm expecting reports of alarms set off. No, it seems the monitoring station had a equipment glich that created a false reading.
Should I walk out and tell them?

They might have had a rude awakening at midnight.

LOL, why bother? I'm sure the ancient Mayans will tell them what to do next.

I'm sure the automatic sprinkler is going to make a nasty surprise but on the upside, at least they'll find out where their tent leaks.

There is no need to walk out. They are well prepared. They should know about the sprinkler and monitor the news. They must have planned a rainy weather test for the equipment. Walking out would only disturb their emergency drill.
At least they will know by tomorrow what they could have missed in their preparation and first hand experience is very valuable. Besides you might miss the fun at midnight. It would be fair though to tell them if they happen to get soaked.

Well bless them for being prepared and ready to act.

It does seem a bit funny, but I guess they were doing their best.

A little excitement in their lives isn't going to hurt them or anyone else. They have some gear, they're doing some thinking, maybe they've made some other preps and stored some food and water and have first aid kit.

First, we laugh at people for not being prepared, and then we laugh at them for not having the ideal stuff or not doing it the way we would do it.

Maybe the next time they'll run out again, and the 3.1 turns out to be a little foreshock of the Big One, which hits minutes later and buries everyone else in the rubble. Maybe they will help the others get out... if they didn't hear the sneering earlier. They can use their pie pan hats for shovels.

Sue

A little California history only your moderator would know.

In 1947 one George Van Tassel showed up in Landers CA and bought a local geologic oddity, a 7 story boulder. This boulder was known locally as--wait for it-BIG ROCK.

George built a cafe with landing strip and started having encounters with space men, visions and rides to other planets.
He also started holding conventions for 20 years, sort of a precurser to Burning Man and generator of income for his cafe.

My new niegbhors seem to be members of http://www.sandandaseagles.com/index.html
the group that continues George's work.

Yes, I really think I'll invite them to contribute to ETS and exchange knowledge.
My cat Piewacket talked with Michael Rennie's spirit last night and got the O.K.

Klatu Barada Nikto- moderator out

Been there. (the big rock). There was a room carved under the rock. Room had re-enforced concrete walls. One can still see where the stairs went down. Room was blasted by the feds when they discovered he had a very great interest in things happening at nearby Edwards AFB and China Lake (Navel research base). With a bright light one can see the concrete and bits of electronic equipment under the rock in the rubble. Local story is that he was a spy. All the weird stuff was cover.

Nomad

lol, nice cover. He'd probably attract less attention with Van Tassel's Cape n' Dagger Spy Emporium.

Another layer of folklore.
The room was blasted by the local sheriff ( lots of mining had gone on, so lots of reired miners) as an 'attractive nuisance.'