Earthquakes can strike without warning, and being prepared for such adisaster can mean the difference between life and death. Here are sometips to help you and your loved ones make it through a quake:~ Those living in areas not prone to earthquakes can respond quickly tothe plight of disaster victims in quake zones by complacently smirkingand saying, "I told you so."~ To minimize loss and damage in a quake, try not to own things.~ Practice your burrowing-out-from-under-40-tons-of-rubble skills aheadof time.~ Look out your window often. If you see a large, zig-zag-shapedcrevasse moving rapidly from the horizon toward your home, step eitherto the right or the left.~ For those who fear earthquakes, it may comfort you to know that amajority of the damage during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake did notcome from the tremors themselves. Instead, it was from the raging, out-of-control fires that consumed most of the city.~ A doorway is the safest place to be during a quake. Eat, sleep, andwork in doorways.~ Be sure to mail your house-insurance payments a full five businessdays before a major earthquake strikes.~ In the event of a quake, get under something heavy, such as a desk, atable, or your boss.~ If you are caught in a major earthquake in Southern California and arepart of the entertainment industry, take a moment or two to reflect onhow grossly you've wasted your life.