Interesting poster at SCEC meeting...I'm too lazy to look through the abstract volume and find who the authors were....they say that evidence for accelerating moment release before earthquakes is an artifact, and should not be pursued anymore (accelerating moment release means more quakes or larger quakes in area of future quake...this was taken seriously). On the next row of posters, there was one on accelerating moment release...taking it as established. Of course, there is always the possibility that the study that refutes AMR is flawed...that is why one should take refereed publications more seriously than abstracts....
I'm headed out to Santa Cruz Island Friday...first time in maybe 5 years, first time to research station in 10, maybe 13 years....spectacular geology out there...especially faults and landslides..
Chris