Hi Bob,

You said:"Well being a long time photographer I would not know what a "near" photographic memory is nor how to test for something that is "near".

I'm sure you've heard people say we only use about 10% of our brain. Well, personally, I think of it like extra computer space, more file drawers and like that. Some people fill them up with different kinds of memories and the associated knowledge it brings.

For me if I've ever seen anyone in this lifetime I can remember them. If I've been introduced to someone and given a name I'll always remember the two. If the contact was more than a single meeting I'll recall who they are, their name and any other details I knew about them. It really surprises people I meet after twenty or thirty years.

If I've ever been some place I'll recall how to get there even if I didn't do the driving.

I remember phone numbers almost perfectly. There may be one or two I miss in perhaps hundreds. Or how about a shopping list. If I write it down before I leave and leave the list at home I won't forget a single item. But if I walk in not having made a list, usually I forget the main item I went shopping for. See what I mean about "near." Every now and then a little slip of the grey cells occurs and oops, I forget.

Now, this may not seem like much, however, when you consider I was extremely dyslexic growing up and I couldn't even remember a paragraph I read in a book after reading it three times, its really amazing.

I used to suffer from test fright and now I don't. Why? Because I learned when you take tests they have a pattern to them, just like puzzles. If you know the pattern you can ace a test without ever reading the material, if its a multiple choice. When I do take classes though, I recall 95% of what is said by recalling the expression or jestures teachers make. For me, I had to learn how to learn. Some people do this with music patterns or other fun ways.

If one has great patience, perserverance and the ability to ferret out information, remembering it is only a small thing, yet a goodly percentage of the population forgets so many things, except you know. That seems to be remembered most by both men and women. It ranks higher than anniversaries, birthdays and other items on anyones calendar. Curious huh? Not really, its because you know is packed with emotion and emotion creates strong memory patterns.

So when I think of earthquake sensitives and their abilities, Skip is high on the list, just as Charlotte King, Cathy Gori, Edgar Cayce and Jean Dixon. But historically my fondest memories are of George Washington in the story about an Angel visiting him when he was across the Patomic with his Troops, or Abraham Lincolns pre-death dreams and Martin Luther King when he said, "I may not get there with you."

I have so much yet to learn and I find that interesting at this stage of life to want to. I learned how to do my taxes this weekend. I haven't done them for ages, but they came with an instruction book and with a little help from Don, it was a happening event. I believe they are correct.

As for hits; if one was playing baseball and almost got a home run, is it a hit or a miss? Since we are still learning about the "hit" process in earthquake prediction I like the field to be a little wider so one does not get so discouraged in the process of learning. Gets depressing after awhile when you don't get any hits and to many near misses. Oh, what is a near miss? To me its when an earthquake arrives within the time frame, is a little off on the magnitude and perhaps ten miles outside of the anticipated location. But not 100 miles away and a 4 when you expected a 7 and its outside the window.

Ummm..so much to ponder....Petra