Hi Don,

Thanks for your post. It gave me a reason to remember how I came to know Lowell Whiteside and I'll never regret having met someone who I consider to be a kindred spirit. In the words he wrote for his opinion letter, the first time I read it, I felt as though he expressed in detail, exactly how I felt. It was a wonderful feeling. I should clarify that I have never met Lowell in person, but sometimes you don't have to. I've heard him on the phone and had so many e-mail exchanges with him, I feel as though I may have known him all of my life and yet, such a few, short years.

Today he is living his belief in his participation in GeoForecasters. To do such a thing requires great courage and conviction in your ideals. He meets his belief's head on, he is a reasonable person and one I think may be ahead of his time. Surely in these times, he lives a life much as some scientists from centuries ago who were classified as heretics, only to find many years later their theories stood the test of time.

Only time will prove whether his method of forecasting is indeed the answer to earthquake prediction, but in that, we must be patient and open minded and willing to give him this opportunity. A few years ago I knew a scientist who labeled him as a kook and yet when I asked him to answer a question regarding something posted about his possible earthquake prediction methods on the Internet, he refused to answer.

I know when these words hit this message board I will feel a sense of the nay sayers mumbling behind the scenes and thinking their negative points of view. To them I say, "if you can do better, then put up or shut up." There are few men of courage through history who have attempted such great feats in the face of such vile criticism. Let it be known that Dr. Lowell Whiteside, is one of the few couragous one's and he has my total respect for his efforts.

May God deliver to him what he needs so the rest of us can live a safer life.

Petra