the jimmymac attack!

I had never experienced an earthquake until I came to Taiwan. I'm from Toronto, Canada and we do not have earthquakes. There was one in the 1980's but it was so small I did not know about it until the news reported it. In Taiwan I've experienced several earthquakes and about 3 typhoons. The typhoons have not been too bad. We get a lot of warning that they are coming. If it's bad we have a typhoon holiday and everyone is told to stay home. It's hardly any inconvenience in Taipei because stores like 7-Eleven and McDonald's stay open. The worst thing about the typhoons in Taipei is you might die of boredom. But earthquakes are another story. People tell me they get used to them and they don't bother them. I do not like them. You do not know when one will strike and you do not know how big it will be. To me it is not good for a twenty-five story solid brick building to shake and sway. You do not know when an earthquake will strike and you do not know how big it will be. I've been woken up at 3:00 am by my building shaking. It is not good. In 1999 Taiwan was hit by a large quake and 3,000 people died. It could happen again. Even if it happens only once in 20 years that is too much for me. No wonder few people lived here until the 20th century. Give me a cold, landlocked place over this shaking, windy tropical hot spot any day.