Maine has its high points. They were, after all, the first people to realize (and do something about it) that living in Massachusetts sucks.

When I was 10 and living in the San Fernando Valley we had the 1987 earthquake. I finished tying my shoe before getting under a doorframe.

3.9 is fun, like a mini-coaster ;)

While Charles causes more shaking when jumping on the bed than a 3.9 I have to agree with Morrigon about the potential construction destruction problems of the East Coast. When I travel to the East of Midwest, I am always amazed my the amount of brick buildings that exist. You ust don't see much of that in the West. However, brick construction is not the most reliable in an earthquake. A 4.0 could have far more devistating effecs in the East than in the West.

Too true, when I moved to VA, I was amazed at all the brick, it is everywhere! And the first thought I had was, whoa, if there was an earthquake this would be a real mess!

I'm still amazed at many of the brick structures in SF, most retrofitted with those ugly things on the outside of the buildings, but I expect sometimes half of Chinatown to crumble in the next big one.

I was starting to get a little paranoid about that one creating a tsunami. Yes, totally unrealistic, but not knowing how well the pumps really have been refurbished, it's a concern. I then read/heard that the gulf is to shallow to really get a good wave going, which makes real sense, and I felt much better about it.

Well, from what I've seen of the Gulf, I imagine a large wave would be no worse than a decent surfing day at the Atlantic coast. The Gulf is eerily still. I love it.