Dear EQF,

you are right. Earthquakes can be predicted because ALL of systems that respond to stimuli, are predictable. The Earth crust reacts to tides, irradiance, cosmic rays, water impounding, and so on. Therefore we can measure and learn the status of the crust in various places. It was the reason, why A. Ljubushin correctly predicted the magnitude of Tohoku EQ couple of years in advance. He measured the "coherency" od the crust and recognised the palce of Tohoku EQ and therefore its possible magnitude.