Hi Canie,

My figures came from the NEIC, and they do support my figure of "nearly 20,000 per year" - allowing for 1)a little rounding up and 2)I'm working from a small chart with about 2-point type, and I mis-read their figure of 15,000 M4-4.9 as 16000. Even so, with the addition of the 3120 even larger quakes, we have (by their figures) 18120 per year. Very fractionally under 50 per day.

I'm willing to accept your, lower, USGS figures, as, either way, the point seems well-made.

Michael F. Williams
Arroyo Grande, CA USA