You can tell when it's a relatively slow news day.  A moderate earthquake strikes a remote area of Southern California, and the news channels are going wall to wall as if Katrina struck again.  What's maddening in their quest to find damage anywhere is that out of one side of their mouth, they're pleading repeatedly with people to stay off their cell phone unless it's an emergency to keep the cell system from jamming up.  But the media's exaggerated over-coverage of the story is causing people all over the country to jam the cell system with calls to relatives and friends in the "Hot Zone" to make sure they're all right.

Here is what you need to know.  Yes, we all felt it.  As the amusement park commercials go, it was a nice 30 second ride - Six Flags - More Flags, More Fun.  Yes, we are all fine, thanks for asking.  No, nothing broke, unless you happen to live right above where it struck in Chino Hills.  For those dairy farmers that inhabit much of Chino Hills, plates might make a fine Christmas gift.  Yes, the cows are fine, too. No, we're not moving because we're suddenly terrified by earthquakes.  No, it wasn't global warming's fault.  No, Barack Obama won't be able to suddenly convince me this was the moment when all our buildings became retrofitted against earthquake damage.  No, John McCain should probably not announce Tim Pawlenty as his Veep today.  No, Hugh didn't feel it at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic.  

And most importantly, no, we're not going to do three hours of earthquake talk on the program tonight.  Carol Platt Liebau will fill in for Hugh and bring you all the other news that Quakestorm 2008: Chino Hills prevented you from hearing today.