Why I Live in California

Time and again I have heard the following statements, in some way or another:

I would not live in California because the earthquakes.

Now, I live in California, so I might have a little bit of a biased view when it comes to this sort of thing, but bear with me here.

Across the US there are a great many places one can live, and all of them have their faults. In the south eastern states on the ocean you have to worry every single year about hurricanes. A classic example of this is, of course, hurricane Katrina. There are still plenty more hurricanes that make landfall every single year though, and with the way the weather on this blue marble of ours is going, they're only going to get worse.

So, I don't want to live there.

How about the more central states? The great (read "vast") bible belt. Oddly enough this area is about the same area as tornado alley. It's almost the same story. Year after year you hear stories of people thanking god that their family were spared, while all the neighbor's houses were destroyed. Well god's will, thy will be done, or whatever they say when this sort of thing happens.

So, I don't want to live there.

What of the more northern states? The areas that are too cold for a tornado to sprout up? Well, then you have to worry about... Snow! Snow snow snow, and more snow. Snow here, snow there... snow everywhere! More snow than you could shake a stick at. Some might call this a blizzard. Sure, they're a little less common, but they're still quite a bit of a problem. Plus it's really cold.

So, I don't want to live there.

Well, there's also the midwest. That vast area of flat. Areas with roads so long and straight that they have to make a turn every now and then to go along with the curvature of the earth. Areas with as many things to see in a minutes drive as you would see in an hour. Field after field... after field... Simply boring.

So, I don't want to live there.

It's here I hear the cries of protest. Oh, what of the earthquakes! Surly you don't want to be caught up in the very earth shaking about under your feet, demanding your attention, and flattening your entire state to its very foundations!
And it's here I say, "wait a moment."

In California we have building codes that our homes, our highways, our businesses, our schools... everything new built must live up to. Every year they get stricter and stricter. So any year when we get a rocking on the richter scale, we're prepared. You see, here we can hold steadfast against the forces of nature. Sure, perhaps a building here and there is knocked over, but in some senses, those are like the old and weak of the herd.

In a hurricane you can buffer yourself from the wind, and rising waters may lift all boats, but they also will fill your house all the same.

With a tornado, the best you can do is run and hide, because there is nothing short of a bomb shelter that will protect you from this colossal force of nature, and when you come out of your hidey hole, all that is left of your mobile home is a few aluminum side panels, and perhaps your bathtub.

With a blizzard and yearly massive cold power is likely to be off for days on end, on top of that your house is buried in snow. If you're not careful your roof will collapse from the weight of it. On top of that you have to keep warm.

So, to wrap this all up. Sure, we may fall out of our seats in an earthquake around here, but they're incredibly infrequent; I've felt three notable ones in twenty years, and none of them even did major damage. And compared to your weather, I can't complain.