Imagine America Without Los Angeles

'The Big One' expected for California has been talked to death, but this is an interesting article that explains how Los Angeles in California is really not prepared for 'the big one' (earthquake). Even things as simple as having supermarkets and their distribution centers on the same side of the fault lines aren't happening. After all this time and all this warning, you'd think that Los Angeles would be better prepared, but they aren't.

For those interested -

CBS News - Imagine America Without Los Angeles

“Two-thirds of the connectivity from Los Angeles to the rest of the world go through fiber-optic cables crossing the San Andreas fault,” Jones explained. “So we expect at the time of the earthquake when the fault moves, we will break these fiber-optic cables and two-thirds of the data capacity between L.A. and everyone else will disappear,” she said.

Natural gas pipelines also cross the San Andreas fault, so gas for cooking and heating is expected to be in short supply.

And the aging water pipes in L.A., which seem to break with great regularity even without an earthquake, are not expected to stand-up well when the big earthquake hits.

All I can think of is how most Americans would be saying -
"No new movies!??"
Not HBO reruns for a year!
How will we survive it?

Northridge was small by historical standards.
They are overdue for one much larger, and deadlier.
They're living on borrowed time unfortunately because it will happen.
The toll in human misery will be mind boggling.

Imagine No Los Angeles ...

I'm pretty sure that Los Angeles is the 'above ground' porn capitol of the world.
So .. no Los Angeles would mean a major hit to the porn industry worldwide.
Porn addicts would be in withdrawl.
I'll have to dust off my psychology books and see how they'd handle* that ...

(*Adult Pun Intended)

I was born in LA but moved to the east coast when I was young. I remember growing up and being told on a regular that one day California will slide into the ocean. I get it and it wouldn't surprise me.

As for imagining America without, well, I'd say culturally speaking there would be a change in influence. After all Hollywood is there and they set "standards" these days. Could you imagine if it gravitated slightly more west to maybe Vegas? Or Montana and then the new fad is everyone where's cowboy boots with spurs. I think I could rock it.

LA times Port of Los Angeles
The sea port in Los Angeles is the nations busiest port for exports and imports.
A major quake would destroy that port. And I imagine it would destroy ports
up the coast as well. That would effect the entire country.

10 things made in Los Angeles
10 accessories from Los Angeles
These products would be kaput. Honestly, I haven't heard of them before.

This is big ...

List of Companies Based in Los Angeles
Includes 20th Century Fox; Forever 21; Fox Sports; City National Bank; Guess Clothing; Cartoon Network.

On a trip to Cali back in the mid 80s, we flew into LA-X at night. Even though we were still way up there on our descent, the city lights went from horizon to horizon - LA is huge!

A feel pretty certain that a city that big won't disappear when the big EQ hits. Everyone in the U.S. will be over there putting it back together.

They will probably cash in on it somehow, like selling the rubble to tourists or making reality shows about life after the big one.

ETA: I can imagine all the celebrity fund raisers and telethons they will have like, "Save the Celebs" or "Help Hollywood", it could be the best thing to ever happen to LA once they rebuild it.

reply to post by MichiganSwampBuck

Exactly. As long as some porn stars, Hollywood moguls, and health nuts survive, it will be built up from the rubble and emerge with better porn, better movies, and better nuts.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I know I wouldn't miss Los Angeles, mostly because of Hollywood. I would definitely sympathize with the average joe living there, but could care less about the rich SoB's living there running our entertainment industries.

It seems to me that they have so many other important issues to worry about:

Fret for your figure and
Fret for your latte and
Fret for your lawsuit and
Fret for your hairpiece and
Fret for your Prozac and
Fret for your pilot and
Fret for your contract and
Fret for your car.

Learn to swim!!!

So long - don't let the door hit ya on the backside - free from hollywannabe's - at last.

It is doable for me.
I have no close relatives living there.
Cold? I guess, but it would honestly have the same effect that the Typhoon in the Phillipines had on me... none.

reply to post by Krazysh0t

Why stop at LA? Cant we get rid of the entire state of CA?

reply to post by FlyersFan


Imagine America Without Washington's tyrannical grip?

Sorry, had to go there....

I was born and raised in So Cal, l.A. to be specific. Growing up there I felt a good many quakes. The loss of life would be staggering among both Legal and Illegals. Southern California's population size alone rivals the entire Continent of Australia's. Business, commerce, transportation etc would be affected nation wide. As bad of shape as California's economy is presently they are still a major player.

Hollywood? I dunno, I don't believe everything they pump out. I choose what I want to be entertained with. Most of the time I find myself laughing at myself and those fellow members I enjoyed reading here at ATS.



Signed.
Howie Hollywood.

reply to post by FlyersFan


This article is interesting because I have heard quite the opposite from many people I know here in LA who are interested in seismology.

The effects of a major earthquake would be devastating no matter where they occurred, look at Japan which has experienced earthquakes throughout its entire history and still despite their advancements in safety deal with major infrastructure problems after an earthquake.

Los Angeles is more prepared for a major earthquake than probably any other city in the US. Its unrealistic to think that the big one (a quake suspected to range in the 9.0 area) can be prepared for because not many quakes of that size have been experienced in modern history. What knowledge has been gathered has undoubtedly been put to good use.