Category: Uncategorized

The Big One could be worse than you imagine

California is a state with more than 2,000 fault lines and there are nearly as many modeled scenarios for “The Big One.” One worst-case earthquake model envisions a 8.5 magnitude temblor that would stretch the full 800-mile length of the San Andreas Fault. The EQECAT model, crafted by risk analysis

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How to prepare your car for El Niño rains

All forecasts are pointing to a strong El Niño winter, which means a high chance of significant rainfall for California. In 2011, the last rainy winter, more than 8,615 people were killed or injured in California in crashes involving rain, snow and fog, according to the California Highway Patrol. “You do not

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Many homeowners unprotected from destructive flooding in Carolinas

Residents in South Carolina will face a few more uncertain days waiting for floodwaters from stressed dams and swollen rivers to recede. A combination of tropical moisture from Hurricane Joaquin and a slow-moving low pressure system produced one to two feet of historic rainfall across the Carolinas over the weekend.

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Homeowners policies may not cover your couture clothing

The possibility of losing an extensive designer wardrobe that spans the likes of Valentino, Dior and Chanel, may not be covered by your homeowners insurance. Unlike art, jewelry and watches, insurance companies have traditionally considered apparel to be among household “contents,” which are subject to deductibles and a host of

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Reasons for passing on earthquake insurance don’t add up

The Napa Valley is still recovering more than a year after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck. The temblor on Aug. 24, 2014 caused around $360 million in property damage. One year later, 62 properties remain red-tagged in Napa, meaning they are too dangerous to access. Another 900-plus properties have yellow tags,

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Clumsy moment leads to hole in million dollar art

It could be one of the most costly stumbles of all-time. A Taiwanese schoolboy was on a visit at a Leonardo da Vinci-themed art exhibit when he tripped, put his hand out to steady himself and punched a hole through a $1.5 million piece of art. The incident was captured

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Startup races to speed up electric car charging time

The limited adoption of electric cars in the U.S. is partly to blame on slow, inconvenient charging times. In 2014, less than 1 percent of the 16.5 million new vehicles purchased were electric vehicles. While Tesla’s Superchargers can add roughly 170 miles worth of electricity to its cars’ batteries in

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