(1) EGF is the one who tried to direct a message TO Canie, not the reverse, without using the normal mechanism of an email, instead posting where the entire world could read it, and where is might be subject to correction.

(2) The US govt pays zero attention to EQF, just as it does not rely on him for his energy policy, nor for advice on how to cure cancer, etc..

(3) There is no sign the US govt is lessening their reliance on the USGS for earthquake hazard mitigation efforts. The current budget is set by a continuing resolution, essentially continuing funding at the same level as last year. The budget cut given to the USGS (and many other agencies) by the House Appropriations Cmt did not get enacted by the full House.

and (4) Indeed, the Italian on trial were speciously convicted, but are widely expected to be exonerated by appeal, as they did NOTHING amiss. One non-seismologist did misinterpret aftershocks as significantly releasing stress, but he is not on trial. The statements of the seismologists were correct, and the prosecutor is political rather than scientific in his actions.

I wish this broadside of misinformation and bizarre misplaced egotism did not appear on the web, so I would not have to set the record straight with a response.