Hi Donald. Can you prove the moon triggered the Hokkaido quake, or the Siberia quake as opposed to something else that might have triggered it?

People have been trying to use the moon to predict earthquakes for many years, but have been unable to prove it beyond the shadow of a doubt. To do this the quake must be predicted giving the location, date and magnitude in such a manner that will make it useful.

Just six months ago, Japanese scientists forecast the huge earthquake that hit Japan Thursday.

"Using techniques broadly similar to those used by U.S. scientists to anticipate future quakes in the Bay Area, the Japanese scientists estimated a 60 percent probability of an 8.1 magnitude quake in the vicinity of Japan's Tokachi Plain on the island of Hokkaido over the next 30 years."

"A quake measuring 8.0 magnitude hit Thursday within the boundaries of the designated region, a 100-by-150-mile area that the scientists called "Region B, " just offshore from the Tokachi Plain."

"This is the bull's-eye," said Ross Stein, a geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey office in Menlo Park. "This is a direct hit -- I would say that without any qualification. I think we need to say that this looks like a very successful forecast."

While this looks like a good prediction, was it useful? The answer to that would have to be no. A 30-year window doesn't do anyone any good. The saving grace here is that the quake occurred as far off shore that it did. Take Care…Don in creepy town

• Successful Forecast???