John,

I think geo-sciences in relationship to predicting earthquakes at this point in time may be placing science on the crest of a wave. It's that point before the break happens, when ideas are forming, people are seeming to make a leap in their ideas about what happens and matters are taking form. It's an important time.

The theory of your group in collaboration with others can be a piece of a much larger puzzle. All pieces are important.

As you know in studying history there are some periods or moments in time (decades perhaps) when discoveries or solutions stand out on the skein of time moreso than others.

The recent disaster in Indonesia may prove a catalyst for change. At least insofar as information sharing is concerned. But in the midst of all of this the earth has revealed some very interesting information which will probably take a decade to understand fully, but may bring a breakthrough that no one expects today.

When I see the progress that has occurred in how the door to prediction seems to be more open today than it was just five years ago, I feel hopeful.

Don't ever lose your youthful fascination, it's what keeps you going, and makes mysteries solvable.

Petra