In a message dated 7/1/00 9:03:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
Spudboy100@aol.com writes:
<< We were probably never producing those plasma phenomina. The geophysics of
planet earth has likely been producing ball lightning for 4 billion years.
Piezo-electric effects seem to accomplish the task. What's the big deal?
>>
I am not entirely sure if this is on point or not but as I read the various
posts on this subject two thoughts keep running through my mind.
1. Ball lightning has been around for years and although not common has
shown up fairly regularly. In my lifetime (wm65) I have only heard of it
among my immediate associates one time. A neighboring farmer saw it while
milking his cow (when I was a teenager) and got knocked cold for his further
amusement.
2. Every pilot knows that his aircraft has a static electricity dispenser
located on the trailing edge of various surfaces. I don't know if this is
the practice on jet aircraft, however. If the static electricity accumulated
by the passage of the aircraft through the atmosphere is not returned to the
atmosphere then a charge builds up and the result is St. Elmo's fire. The
description of Foo Fighters in many cases sounds suspiciously like that
static electricity.
3. Purely a personal note. I developed a very serious ambition to become a
career pilot at roughly age ten. Later I became a SF addict. I did fly as a
crew man and a student pilot in the Navy. All my life, since ten years of
age, I have habitually watched the sky for my personal interest and
amusement. During that time I have seen countless UFOs and thought that I
was finally getting to see one also. However, in all honesty, I have to say
that every UFO I have experienced has been successfully reduced to an IFO
much to my disappointment.
4. I hope we finally come to understand plasma and its appearance as ball
lightning. Maybe I'll even one day get to see a real UFO. :)
Ron H.
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