Hi Chris,

Thanks so much for making in providing a perfectly clear answer. It has been so disheartening to drive by that oil field so many times and ask the same question and yet for years never make the connection with anyone who could answer the question. It was rather a ping pong effect when asking seismologists who would say I had to ask someone in oil refining and when I would ask them, they would say they didn't know anything about earthquakes, so they were of no help.

Yesterday I read an article about another space telescope which is more than a million miles away from the Earth. It brings back images which will forever change the way we interpret what we know about this universe. It reminded me how space technology is funded so heavily and geo-sciences are not. Though we are not likely to be invaded from outer space, or have an asteroid land on us, the need for funding for geo-sciences might bring us to a more finite understanding of the earthquake process and bring us closer to knowing when large earthquakes in the US may occur for safety. Yet, funding ranks very low compared to space science funding. I wonder how it might be possible to change the way people who fund think about these things. Is there a way to influence those who make these decisions?

One of the most positive things about living in America is to understand that we are an evolving nation. Nothing is set in stone. Many things do not require legislation, but simply putting a new way of thinking into the mind of a person who never thought about something the way you do. Food for thought.

Thanks for hanging round and helping out here. You input is very much appreciated.

Petra