Travelers & expats: How are things in Rome today?

It will be over tomorrow. Still waiting for the big one on the west coast and the Madrid fault around Cairo is 50 years over due. Where do you run to?

Amazing the number of people using it as an excuse not to go to work! (Reuters) - A prediction that a huge earthquake would destroy Rome on Wednesday prompted fear in some people and giggles of ridicule in others but officials assured the populace that the Eternal City would not be rubble by midnight. The Internet-driven story of an impending tremor has dominated blogs, social networks and talk shows for days, so much so that authorities from the mayor down have issued statements saying earthquakes are impossible to predict. That did not deter thousands of people from staying away from work and heading for the countryside or the parks. According to some media reports, as many as 18 percent of city employees called in sick and Rome's notorious traffic did appear lighter than normal for a Wednesday in May.

It really doesn't matter, because the world is supposed to be coming to an end on 5/21 anyway according to the evangelical fundamentalists or the Mayans or someone. Or maybe it's in 2012...I can't really remember, but it will be bad.

Michael, The end of the world will occur in the year 2012, because the Mayan calendar ends at the year 2012. That is what I heard on that topic.

Michael...LOL. I was going to post that same thing....we are are goners on May 21...

Don't tell me that about May 21st! I was planning on going to a Medieval festival in Eppstein. Darn it.