Happy New Year To All!

Well 2000 didn't prove to be a lot of fun for me, which surely was in contrast to 1999. I faced more challenges in one single year, than I have in any year in my life. But don't think those challenges haven't been met with counter-challenges.

In reflection what I saw in the world in general was "not good enough." Today lots of people in various fields are just doing what they have to do and nothing more. The addage about being proud of placing your signature to anything you write is long gone.

I was reading Roger Bilhams web page the other day and he was saying in the past three years there were an average of 18,000 fatalities from earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. That's not a whole lot smaller than death by car accidents at 25,000. In some of my conversations with some scientists they have told me, "hey, its only 18,000 people, its not worth the investment of millions or billions of dollars to predict earthquakes." I'm totally infuriated when I hear that dialogue. It's just not good enough. The primary problem with this kind of thinking is that when you lump people together in groups and pronouce them as "they" then we lose focus on who "they" are. They were someones Mom or Dad, a sister, a brother, a co-worker, a neighbor and so on. They were here with them and due to whatever happened in an earthquake they are no more.

42 People died on the Cypress Structure in Oakland, CA from the Loma Prieta Earthquake. It was slated to be rebuilt, but no one got it done. It cost the State of CA $2,100,000 to pay their families $50,000 each. I saw the news footage day in and day out as they brought the victims out, to me they have a face and I won't soon forget them. I wonder how many other Cypress Structures are in CA they are on the slated to be fixed list.

I hope in 2001 I can play a small part in making note of what isn't good enough and doing whatever I can to make it better. Most of those issues have nothing to do with earthquake prediction, but earthquake preparedness issues will play a large role in what I do. I am not a scientist and therefore I cannot publically predict earthquakes.

Today there is a United Nations, but what is lacking is a United Scientists for the Resolution to Earthquake Prediction. I do firmly believe if for a few hundred hours, if those who can could, would sit down and conference together, leaving their humble opinions aside, together they could make a difference. Here's to USREP for 2001 and beyond.

May 2001 be the best year of your life, it's Day One, hope you loved it.

Petra Challus, challenged, changed, but surely never quiet about anything.