There was an earthquake last Friday night. 7.0 on the Richter Scale, but it was centered in one of the least sparsely and safest areas of California for an earthquake. This brings to mind that the predictions are 30% (or 50%, or 70%, doesn't really matter) of a major earthquake striking the Bay Area in the next couple of decades.

Some people (not I) wonder at the folly of living in an area where you can experience the kind of natural disaster that almost levelled San Francisco in 19-oh-something. That's not something that people here worry about overly. It's a part of life, you try to build structures that will withstand an earthquake; have emergency plans; educate people (to some extent).

We do get small earthquakes. Working up on the 9th floor of a new building, it's fun to look out the window and see the other buildings swaying along with your building. This is the kind of thing that unnerves some people, especially visitors from the East Coast (it just seems that way since we get a lot of visitors from our East Coast facilities).

But how is this different than any other natural disaster? Other areas have to contend with their own perils: hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, heat waves, cold snaps, giant slugs, whatever. Why do people live in those areas? Obviously, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

The Bay Area is blessed with a strong economy and a good amount of culture. Jobs must be good since the housing market is a killer. But there are sports teams, museums, zoos, land- marks, plays, concerts... all sorts of things. Few that I have ever experienced myself. Living here I tend to take that all for granted. It's been years since I've been to the Zoo, or Exploratorium, or seen a play.

One of the things that disappoints me is our reliance on Federal aid, especially emergency aid. We're one of the most economically powerful States in the Union, and if something like a bunch of flooding prompts the governor to declare a state of emergency so we can get Federal aid, what does that say about us. A state of emergency frees up state funds and certain powers too, and that's fine.

We should be more self-reliant. Tax a little more, use the money to set up emergency funds to deal with disasters. We don't need outside help to deal with misfortune. I probably don't have the right to say this. I donate money when for disaster relief, but I don't donate my time. It just seems like we rely too much on the Federal Government.

Oh well, it's probably just my yearning to see California independent. Secede from the Union and become the 4th richest country in the world. Depending on the day and my mood, I would die for that dream. But then again, I don't place a particularly high value on my life.