Many people in earthquake country do absolutely nothing, while some of us try to take reasonable precautions against what is essentially an unpredictable event. It makes sense to protect your heirloom items and keep prybars and shutoff tools close at hand, ready to use. Don't forget to bolt down your water heater, and keep your gas tank filled. Then get on with life.

I suppose I actually do practice mini bug outs, because I am hiking, backpacking, or bike touring as much as possible. Now I can add another justification. It seems to be working - I was out of town (and the house) for both Northridge (1994) and Loma Prieta (1989). Maybe my habits are as good as a rat's in predicting quakes. After all, there are people who see a lot of other similarities....