[Sherman Logan]

In the "Star Trek" movies, San Francisco serves as headquarters of Starfleet Command. This cracks me up to no end, as I cannot imagine the Board of Supervisors approving construction of Starfleet Academy or the oddly shaped high-rises you see in the background.

Easily explained. A Category 9 earthquake utterly destroyed SF, and what you see in Star Trek are the replacement buildings.

Now why Starfleet would choose to build its headquarters in a location proven to be so vulnerable IS an interesting question...

Perhaps forcefields and other modern technology make buildings immune to earthquakes.

[Sherman Logan]

Sorry. Turns out I should have said Category 10+. A 9 appears to be insufficient to cause the total destruction required to utterly destroy SF.

[Norm Lenhart]

The Federation is the ultimate socialist expression. Why WOULDNT they build it there?

[Bryanw92]

>>Perhaps forcefields and other modern technology make buildings immune to earthquakes.

The technology that makes the Structural Integrity Field and Inertial Dampening Field would make buildings earthquake-proof.