There are the doom-and-gloomers on Berkland's site, and then there are the Petras of the world.

Again, look at the results before you discount the methodology. I know this is hard for scientists to do, but even Shakespeare knew the difference: "There is more to heaven and earth, Horatio, than is dreamt of in your philosophy." Please keep this notion in mind.

I can't tell anyone how I know what I know. I can only tell them that I know it.

I have five children, three adopted. I used the adoption photolistings to essentially "pick out" my three daughters. They and we are a perfect match. It was recognition at first sight. They were not all the cutest children listed (though the two eldest have grown into real beauties). Nor, in one case, were they the smartest. But all three of them were meant to be our daughters. Unlike most who adopt older children from third world countries, we have had no problems with any of them. That is a gold standard in the adoption world. Three older children from three different orphanages in three different countries: Vietnam, India, and Cambodia. They are absolute jewels.

How did I know they were a perfect fit?

How did I know, the night before the Sylmar quake in 1971, that it was just hours away?

How do I know, when I feel "earthquakey" that there is going to be a substantial loss of life somewhere on this planet?

How do I know a lot of things I have never shared on this board?

I can't tell you, except to tell you that there is a sixth sense, and some people are tuned into it.

I know this is difficult terrain for some, but some of your science is difficult terrain for me. So I ask questions, and fortunately, I receive answers that make sense to me. I wish more of the scientists on this board would ask questions of me.

I was drawn to the study of earthquakes because of my frequent foreknowledge of them. There will be another big one soon, and more people will die. I just feel it.

And with this, I bid you adieu for two weeks. I am off to Vietnam on Monday, and will return on the 18th. I know strongly that my daughter and I will have a wonderful, magical time. How do I know? I just feel it. That's the best answer I can provide.

Scientists, please don't write us psychics off as crackpots or worse. If police departments around the world rely on us to solve crimes, the least you can do is acknowledge our intuitions. I've probably won more of the earthquake contests than anyone on this board. Lowell sent me a magnificent chocolate egg for his Easter contest. I told Petra not to buy me a CD for winning one of her latest contests, as I know she is a single, working mom. How do I know where to pinpoint my predictions? I just look at a map, and see what shows up in red.

Someone once laid out a shuffled deck of cards and asked me to pull out all four aces. I did. So, please, don't discount us because we can't quantify our results. Just listen to us with open ears, and quantify our results.

Respectfully,

Cathryn