Why I Left California

Japan's killer earthquake. I went through the Northridge quake in January, 1994. As I stood turning the gas main off so my house wouldn't blow up at 4:30 a.m., the only light in the neighborhood was from neighbors' flashlights, also turning off their gas mains, and the Ralph's grocery store on Ventura Boulevard, which was engulfed in flames. I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and all I could think was, "Twenty below zero in Chicago sounds pretty good right now." Are you thinking of moving to the West Coast? Check out these photos, then reconsider. Also: Northridge Earthquake