From an eminent seismologist at UCLA, on why we should pay attention to earthquake studies, even if they can't predict the exact time of a powerful earthquake likely to hit California in coming years:
"Suppose you are the minister of the defense, and you are told the enemy
is mobilizing its forces and will attack us within a year. And you tell them, 'No, I don't want to know. Tell me exactly within
seconds, and then I will pay attention.' That would be suicide."
That's from Vladimir Keilis-Borok, age eighty-eight, and still at work in the lab. And it comes at the end of a superbly clear and memorable story on the idea of the Mogi Donut, on the front page of today's LA Times, called There's a Hole in this Earthquake Theory.
Californians, you should read the whole thing.
Kit Stolz 