Ancient Chinese Secret - Thunder Makes It Rain

I have alleged that the U.S. has been operating a covert weather modification program for a half century. I have claimed the U.S. approach is to employ stealth aircraft over heavy cloud cover, and that those stealth aircraft are equipped with lasers, and particle beam generators. The particle beam generators are used to ionize the clouds, and to trigger, or produce artificial lightning. The lasers are infrared, or ultraviolet lasers which can't be seen without instrumentation, and are used to create ionized paths which directs the path of the triggered, or artificial lightning.

I have claimed that the creation of artificial lightning is pivotal to weather modification as lightning results in the creation of sonic booms (thunder) which passes through clouds condensing water vapor, and triggering rain.
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In several previous post I asked does thunder make it rain?

Unlike in the United States, China is using a less sophisticated route to modify its weather, and therefore the program isn't classified. The U.S. program is closely linked to a broad variety of military, and intelligence programs, and therefore absolutely no public discussion has been allowed on the subject.

The following is an article dating to 2004 in China's state run People's Daily

China will make further efforts in the next several years to improve its weather modification service from the current single function of disaster prevention and reduction to a multi-functional service, Qin Dahe, director of the China Meteorological Administration, said in Beijing on February 27.

Qin made this statement at the second China weather modification meeting from February 26 to 28.

According to Qin, such a multi-functional service includes not only disaster prevention and reduction but also air and water resources exploitation and ecological environmental protection.

"As one of the countries most severely harassed by meteorological disasters, especially drought, China has seen soaring extreme weather days and water shortage since the 1990s, all of which have greatly impeded China's economic and social development," said Qin.

To lessen this problem, China established the National Coordination Committee of Weather Modification in 1994 and held the first all China weather modification meeting in 1995.

"Since then, great progress has been made in China's weather modification service. From 1995 to 2003, China has become the world's number one in its weather modification service scale," said Qin.

However, the weakness of insufficient scientific research has begun and will further impede the development of China's weather modification service, said Qin.

In the next few years, while continuing to take agriculture as the major service content, China's weather modification will make more efforts in air water resources exploitation to lessen the country's hunger for water and in improving its service in environmental protection and transportation.

According to Qin, tests of precipitation and cloud dispersal for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 World Expositions in Shanghai is underway.

A plan for the development of China's weather modification activities from 2004-2010 was put forward to the meeting for discussion.

Weather modification means to modify the weather under certain weather conditions to the needs of people by artificial methods, including mainly precipitation enhancement and hail suppression, as well as fog, cloud and precipitation dispersal, frost prevention and thunder producing.

End Article.


Thunder Producing

In the last paragraph of the article above we see the final words, "and thunder producing".

Just why would China's weather modification service be interested in producing thunder?

Is it just because they like the sound of thunder?

Could that be it?

Are the Chinese scientist insane, or just plain ignorant?

What link do they see between producing thunder, and modifying the weather?

This is very perplexing indeed.
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Here's the article in Chinese for my Chinese Readers

中国将进一步提高,在未来数年内从目前的天气服务功能单一防灾减灾的多功能服务 秦大河主任,中国气象当局说,2月27日在北京举行. 秦这番话在第二届中国天气从2月26日至28日的会议. 据秦 这种多功能服务不仅包括防灾减灾,而且空气和水资源开发和生态环境保护. "骚扰最严重的国家之一,气象灾害,尤其干旱 有了飞速天极端天气和缺水90年代以来, 所有这些都极大地阻碍了中国的经济和社会发展"琴. 淡化这个问题, 中国成立全国协调委员会,并于1994年举行的天气中第一个人影都在1995次. "从那时起,中国取得了长足的天气服务. 从1995年至2003年, 中国已成为世界上最大规模之一的天气服务"秦. 但是 弱点和不足,科研工作已经开始,将进一步阻碍了中国的影响天气服务 秦说. 在未来几年,在继续以农业为主要服务内容、 中国的天气将加大开发空中水资源,以减轻国家的饥饿和提升服务水环境保护和运输. 据秦 云和降水的考验,为疏散2008年北京奥运会,2010年上海世界博览会正在进行之中. 规划发展我国的影响天气活动从2004-2010年的会议上提出讨论. 天气手段改变天气气候条件下某些人的需要用人工方法 主要包括人工增雨、防雹,以及雾、降水、云离去, 防霜冻和打雷生产.

My Questions Follow

文章结束. 桑德在生产末段上述文章的最后,我们看到,"雷声大、生产". 刚刚为什么中国的天气服务有兴趣生产打雷? 难道只因为他们喜欢听惊雷? 莫非是它? 中国科学家是疯子,还是平原愚昧? 他们之间的联系是什么见风头生产、改装天气? 这确实是很困惑.

Gerald Ford - 38th U.S. President -1913-2006

President Gerald Ford - 1913-2006
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Rest In Peace Gentleman Statesman.
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Leslie King & Dorothy Gardner-King

Gerald R. Ford was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., the son of Leslie Lynch King and Dorothy Ayer Gardner King, on July 14, 1913. His mother was forced to flee from the physically abusive marriage just two weeks after the wedding. Mrs. King discovered shortly after the separation that she was with child. She moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, to live with her parents. Two years later she married Gerald R. Ford.

The Fords began calling their son Gerald R. Ford, Jr. even before his name was legally changed. At age thirteen he learned that Gerald Ford, Sr., was not his biological father.
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Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Ford Sr

In high school Gerald Ford excelled in academics, and sports. He was also an Eagle Scout. Upon graduating he entered the University of Michigan in 1931, and graduated with a B.A. in Economics, and Political Science in 1935.
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Gerald Ford - University of Michigan - 1933

After graduating he was offered the opportunity to play professional football, but took a position at Yale as a boxing coach, and was admitted as a law student at Yale in 1938. He earned his law degree in 1941, and returned to Michigan where he passed the Bar Exam.
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Navy Officer Gerald Ford - WWII

Gerald Ford joined the U.S. Naval Reserves in 1942. He served as a physical fitness trainer, and navigator aboard the aircraft carrier USS MONTEREY. He came within inches of being swept overboard during a typhoon in the Philippine Sea.
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A Buff Gerald Ford (athletic director) Fights for a Tip Off - USS MONTEREY

Ford returned to civilian life in 1946, joining a prestigious law firm in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In 1948 Ford made a successful bid for Congress, marrying Betty Warren during the campaign.
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Gerald Ford married Betty Bloomer Warren on October 15th, 1948

During the 1950s the Fords had four children. Ford began his career in Congress in 1949, and was reelected with wide margins twelve times.
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Ford Congressional Campaign Advertisement (1948)

In 1973 when Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after pleading no contest to charges of income tax evasion President Nixon appointed Gerald Ford to replace Agnew. Ford not only had a reputation for honesty, but was a strong Nixon supporter.

The Nixon administration self destructed when it became mired in the Watergate scandal. Nixon became the first President to resign his office when impeachment became a certainty. Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States on August 9, 1974, stating "the long national nightmare is over". He later granted a pardon to Nixon.

Ford's administration was known for using the Veto. The U.S. economy continued on a downward slide, and the U.S. military withdrew from Vietnam.
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Pat & Gerald Ford Whistle Stop Tour (1976)

Gerald Ford's bid for the presidency faced strong opposition in 1976 from the Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter. Carter won the election thus ending Gerald Ford's political career.
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My Thoughts on Gerald Ford

I had the opportunity to see Gerald Ford speak twice during the 1976 presidential campaign. Dave of The11thhour was with me on both occasions. Ford visited Springfield, Illinois during his Whistle Stop Tour, stopping at the corner of 3rd, and Jefferson Street (Train Station). Actor Chuck Conner came along for star appeal. I was struck at how tall Chuck Connor was.

Gerald Ford also spoke from the steps of the Lincoln Home that year stating, "I am not a Lincoln, I'm a Ford". I was on the lawn directly across the street, and at the time was unimpressed with anyone who would say such a thing.

I always thought Ford was an honorable man. He was exactly what the nation needed in a very dark time. The nation was deeply skeptical about politics, and our recent departure from Vietnam led many to believe that the nation's best days were over. Ford's pardon of Nixon was probably the best decision that could have been made at the time, although I opposed it then.

While I passed out political campaign material for Carter I came to respect Gerald Ford. I often wish that the Republican Party had people like Gerald Ford in it today. It will be a long time before we see the likes of a Gerald Ford again.

Gerald Ford was a gentleman, and an honorable man. May his example shine forth leading others to public service.

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Notes

Photographs used in this post were obtained from the Gerald Ford Presidential Library, and Museum Website, and are in the public domain. No permission is needed to use them. Please see their website for additional information.

I used the Gerald Ford biography, provided on the Presidential Library website to write this post. I rewrite, and consolidated the information that I found there in an attempt to avoid plagiarism (based on lack of quotations), and I have provided a link to their website.

You may follow this link to obtain more information about Gerald Ford.

Sigmund Freud - Father of Psychology

Sigmund Freud

In my various undergraduate classes I recall hearing gasp coming from fellow students (usually female) that accompanied the introduction of Freud's ideas on the Oedipus complex, and Electra complex. I took many Psychology classes, and so I heard this gasp many times. Freud certainly pushed the envelop on the subject of incest, but why?

In order to understand Freud we first have to look at the times in which he lived. Sexual repression was the order of the day in Freud's time just as it is today, only much worse. Freud was in effect a release valve for the sexually repressed people's of the time in which he lived. If Freud had lived in a less sexually repressed society he would have been less radical in his attempt at uncovering universal subconscious desires (drives) likely to offend the sensibilities of those most likely to deny them - the advocates of sexual repression.

Aside from incest Freud also proposed that "Penis Envy" drove women to ultimately submit to gender role identification with their mothers. Freud's model seems to be an overly simplistic proposal for such a complex process, but I believe Freud was searching for the origin of a gender role identification process which made the evolutionary transition from primates to humans.

While many of his proposals seem highly questionable today the fact that he was looking at instincts as a source of behavior (i.e., proto-behavior) was quite incredible for the time in which he lived. He was applying Darwinian principles in approaching an understanding of human psychology long before anyone else.

Freud greatest fault was that he was born into a time in which scientific instrumentation wasn't sufficiently advanced. Surely Freud would have advocated a more precise, and perhaps more complex, model of human biological, and psychological processes if he had lived today.

Despite Freud's limitations there are many observations which Freud recorded that are considered significant, and useful today. His ideas related to the subconscious are beginning to regain consideration. Freud blazed the trail for a field which had been the realm of the philosopher, and the Priest. His psychoanalytic theory led the way to the development of Psychology into the modern social science that it is today.

Sigmund Freud, the father of Psychology was my second "guest prophet".

Weather Modification No Secret In China - Unlike U.S.

In the United States the ongoing covert weather modification program is an open secret. Those brave enough to discuss the subject risk being discredited, while others are just too frightened to talk about it at all. Main Stream Media in the U.S. won't touch the story, but in China it's an entirely different story.

This from the ABC (Australia Broadcasting Company):

Cloud seeding solution to China's water shortage
PM - Tuesday, 20 July , 2004 18:36:26 Reporter: John Taylor

MARK COLVIN: There are fears of further flooding and landslides with heavy rains forecast over most parts of China this week. Already in one province alone, 60,000 people have been affected, but the recent rains obscure the fact that much of China is short of water. Cloud seeding, especially over major cities, has emerged as a common solution, but as China Correspondent John Taylor reports, one area's cloud seeding can look like another area's drought. JOHN TAYLOR: If the heavens aren't forthcoming, China's rainmakers aren't prepared to wait. Across the nation more than 30,000 people have been tasked with a single objective - bring down the rain. And they use planes, rockets and even artillery shells to make it happen. Professor Wang Angsheng, from the National Disaster Relief Centre at the Chinese Academy of Science, says workers disperse chemicals into clouds to make it rain. (Wang Angsheng speaking) "It means, to add in some artificial cores, such as silver iodide or CO2 and such kind of chemicals, and some other chemicals - a small amount, but highly condensed," he says. "It helps cloud to have more cores, which will form small raindrops. Small raindrops collide with each other and form big raindrops, and then it increases the possibility of raining," he says. It's uncanny living in Beijing how it rains on the eve of major events. Be it a big domestic event, or a visiting foreign politician, the rain has usually fallen the day before, making for temporary blue skies free of the normal haze. Chinese officials say cloud seeding has helped to relieve severe droughts and water shortages in cities. In Shanghai officials are considering the measure to cool the daytime temperature, easing demand for electricity. The technique is now so widespread that it is reportedly sparking rows between neighbouring areas, with claims of rain-greed. The state-run China Daily newspaper recently cited a case in central Henan province. Five neighbouring arid cities raced to cloud seed when the skies recently looked promising. The rain came, but some local weather bureau officials in the last city, which received the least rain, have accused their counterparts of intercepting and overusing clouds. Professor Wang says the competition is understandable. (Wang Angsheng speaking) "We all work on cloud seeding to make rain fall and increase the volume of raindrops," he says. "It is understandable, generally speaking, if there is strong convection rain, even if we don't work on it, it will fall too. In summer time, we can see lots of clouds, and without any cloud seeding works, rain falls. When it is very dry through in certain places, it aspires for clouds. Our institute has certain methods, rockets or flaks with which we hope to get the clouds down, or to put it more vividly, we want to shoot down the clouds," he says. JOHN TAYLOR: The political storm clouds are brewing. But for now, rockets and planes are being used at will and in competition in China to bring down the rain. This is John Taylor in Beijing for PM.

My Commentary Follows

Since the covert weather modification program in the U.S. is so closely related to laser weapons, particle beam weapons, and stealth aircraft delivery systems, it is a program trapped within a national secret. No public, or open scientific debate exist on the merits of the program.

By choosing an open path toward a weather modification policy will China rapidly advance methods that are simpler, less expense, more effective, and more reliable? Will China leap frog the U.S. in this important area?
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Note: Thanks to a regular reader for this info.
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James Brown Has Left The Building

The first recollection I have of James Brown was watching one of his concerts on a PBS special many years ago. The stage announcer came on stage, and begins introducing James Brown as the, "The Godfather of Soul", and "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business". I was close to turning the channel in disgust. I knew that no one deserved such titles, for how could they? Little did I know then that I was about to find out.



James Brown Sex Machine

This overweight little man with his hair slicked back comes bouncing out on stage, and I'm convinced at that moment that I must be watching some kind of comedy show, but the crowd is going wild - so I watched. Then came the music, and the singing, and the dancing, and the gymnastics, and the hypnotic trance like rhythm, and blues.

James Brown came reaching right through that little black and white television screen in a performance that would forever change my appreciation for music, and stage performance. From that night on I would always be a James Brown fan.


James Brown Olympia 1966 - A Must See Performance!

James Brown has left the building, but he didn't leave us alone. He's left us with his music, and his enthusiasm for music, and performance.

Impressions Of Midnight Mass In Color

Frankincense Poinsettias Columns Arches Ceilings Robes Murals Stained Glass Choir Balcony Prayers Altar Priest Laity Confession Altar Boys Podium
Altar Girls Songs Nativity Piety Mass Crucifix Jesus Mary Saints
Pope Bishop Holy water Absolution Procession People
Recession Candles Wine Chalice Eucharist
Communion Peace Love Forgiveness
Acceptance The Christ Child
The Savior
Is Born

Mary & Infant Jesus

Mary & Infant Jesus

Interested in Catholicism?

The Timing Of Your Card Was Perfect

The Card - His Will Be Done

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The Timing of Your Card Was Perfect
by JP

It arrived informing us of your impending visit
the day after you slid
into, and then out
of town
without even calling.
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Christmas Light Eyes

Koshi Kat Defender of Pagan Tree Temple

Taking photographs of my cat Koshi is more difficult than photographing my other cats. Using a flash is often necessary indoors, but Koshi is a white cat, and flashes bounce right off of him.

In the photograph posted above, I used an indirect flash, and so we see Koshi's pretty blue eyes, and a curious look from Koshi. The Christmas tree lights in the background compliment the beauty of Koshi's eyes perfectly.

There's no doubt why ancient Egyptians viewed cats as sacred. Imagine being in the low light conditions of an Egyptian temple around sunset, or sunrise. To see the colorful glowing eyes of a cat blazing back at you would have to be slightly unnerving.

All four of our cats love our Christmas trees. They sit under them. Even when they are not sitting under the trees they will lay facing toward them. It must have something to do with all the color, and activity of the lights.

They also like taking little bites from the branches.

Warm Monitor - Cold Winter Night

And Humans Say That Animals Don't Have Souls?


A Sad Chance Encounter

This post is dedicated to an individual whom I knew for many years, who pretended not to see me tonight until I called out her name, and then had absolutely nothing to say to me when I did.

I knew you before the money, which although you never earned it through your own ingenuity, or hard work, has turned you into someone very much less special than you so obviously believe that you are.

Although you became an object lesson tonight, on what type of person I never want my daughter to become, I am sadly obligated to toss my recollection of you into the "Best never to have known you" category. This makes me very sad indeed.


A Prayer

My prayer for you is that somehow before you pass from this world, that you discover a higher path, and take it. That somehow you come to understand that a person's importance, even your own, shouldn't be based upon which subdivision you happen to be living in.

Christians Celebrate The Birth of a Jew!

Context (micro)

I made a quick run to the local grocery store tonight. I needed to pick up some holiday goodies. I was in the parking lot about to leave when an acquaintance arrived. He was heading into the store.


Photo by Beth Brewer

The Exchange

JeromeProphet: Hey there!

Acquaintance: Hey!

JeromeProphet: Have a happy חנֻכה Hanukkah!

Acquaintance: You have a merry Christmas!

The gentleman headed into the store, while my daughter helped me load the car.

JeromeProphet: You know that exchange we just had is profound in a way.

Teenage Daughter: What do you mean dad?

JeromeProphet: Well, in so many places around the world people are expected to hate each other if they are of different faiths.

Teenage Daughter: That's pretty sad.

JeromeProphet: That's a good thing about America. We're not perfect, but we're getting pretty good about tolerating each other despite our religious differences.


Reflections

There's much room for improvement in America, but there's hope that this great experiment will succeed. In a very real sense the fate of the world hangs in the balance.


Note

First Candle was lit December 15th this year (2006). Here's a link for more information about Hanukkah.

Jesus was Jewish. He was born of a Jewish mother, and raised as a Jew. Jesus subscribed to the Jewish faith, never challenging "The Law". The first Christians were Jewish. Saul (Paul) was a Jew, and is the one individual most responsible for spreading Christianity to Gentiles. Aside from Constantine, Saul is the one individual most responsible for the transformation of Christianity into a Major World Religion.

Despite the fact that Christ was Jewish, and that the Jewish people are identified in the Bible as the "Chosen People", Christians have persecuted Jews at various times throughout the last two millenia.

Dear Diary, George Will Has Broken My Heart!

My dear diary (online version),

Fellow diarist, Dave at The11thhour, recorded in his diary (online version) that Pulitzer Prize winning essayist, and syndicated columnist George Will (online version) had made a rather disparaging remark about diarist (online version).



George Will & Bow Tie

I wanted to record within you, my dearest diary (online version), a comment which I had left in Dave's Diary (online version) so that one day while looking back upon you, my sweet diary (online version), that I would recall my initial reaction at being labeled narcissistic by Pulitzer prize winning essayist, and syndicated columnist George Will (online version).

Here goes, cherished Diary:

"George Will is the paragon against which all others are matched when it comes to arrogance.

George Will is nothing more than a pseudo-erudite who has earned his livelihood entirely from the longstanding erroneous perception that anyone should ever, would ever, or could ever, care in the slightest about anything he has ever said.

Then again, I'm just a narcissistic blogger "

I have nothing more to add tonight my beloved diary (online version) for I only wanted yet another chance to see words which I myself have written for they comfort me (online version) so.

A Hydrogen Based Economy Is Inevitable

U.S. Wind-power Map (Seasonally Averaged) U.S. D.O.E. - Public Domain


Oil Addiction In The Land Of Energy Resource Abundance

According to Department of Energy estimates wind power harvested from just three states would produce all of the electricity needed for all fifty states, and this is also true of wind energy which could be produced offshore. The United States is rich in renewable energy resources. The cost of producing electricity using the current generation of wind turbines is now competitive with oil, coal, and nuclear production methods.

Despite an abundance of solar, biomass, wind, wave, hydroelectric, and geothermal energy U.S. energy policy is controlled by the Oil, and Coal industry. Despite predictions that world climate is being changed, and the finite limit on cheap light crude oil the U.S. government's response seems stymied. The U.S. has an oil addiction, and sadly the U.S. government is controlled by oil pushers.

Hydrogen - Seen As An Energy Transport Unit

Hydrogen should be viewed as a form of energy transport, and storage. Water can be broken down into oxygen, and hydrogen, and the hydrogen can then be transported through pipelines similar to the pipelines which transport oil, and natural gas.

There are no genuine obstacles to the transition from a hydrocarbon based economy to a hydrogen based economy.

The United States really has no choice in the matter, as eventually cheap light crude oil will be depleted, and some type of alternative will be necessary to fuel the nations transportation system.

Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Hydroelectric, and Biomass can all contribute toward the creation of electricity which in turn can be converted to Hydrogen. There is a significant loss energy in the process of converting electricity into hydrogen, yet hydrogen is clean, and can be transported, and stored safely, and easily.

In A Power Grid for the Hydrogen Economy, authors Paul M. Grant, Chauncey Starr and Thomas J. Overbye in Scientific American (July, 2006) propose that now is the time for the development of a new national electric grid. The current electric grid, based upon antiquated technology, isn't able to move large amounts of energy across the country which represents a major vulnerability, and restriction to the energy sector.

In their proposed hydrogen based energy transport grid hydrogen cooled to cryogenic temperatures would flow from major energy production centers into urban areas. Electricity could also be transported through super cold super conducting wires within the hydrogen pipelines. This would allow hydrogen, and electricity to move across the country, and into redistribution hubs without significant loss of energy. The current electric grid can not transport surplus electricity from one coast to another. These same limitations which exist within the current national electric grid explains why power plants must be located near cities.

The creation of a superconducting energy grid, and hydrogen transport system would allow nuclear power plants to be located in remote areas, solar power plants, and wind power parks to economically transport electricity to urban areas hundreds of miles away. It would also allow energy produced at peak wind, and solar production periods to be stored in the form of hydrogen which could be pumped through existing natural gas lines. Consumers could electrically recharge their batteries overnight, or could recharge their hydrogen fuel cells using the same lines that provide natural gas today.


Politics of Short Sighted Greed - Resistant to Change

With oil, coal, and natural gas interest in charge of the nation's energy policy it is unlikely any major government investments will be made in assisting the U.S. transition from a hydrocarbon based economy into a hydrogen based economy.

Yet the change is not only coming, it's also inevitable. Sadly, such change will not be the result of concern for the people of the United States, nor will it come out of a sense of concern for the ecology of the planet, but instead be the result of dire necessity. It will come about only as a result of a global economic crisis which will occur as a result of rapidly rising prices for fossil fuel. The economic turmoil which will be thrust upon the U.S. will be a direct result of the nation's political corruption.

Dennis Kucinich - A Genuine Captain Picard?

Dennis Kucinich (Democrat-Ohio)

Tonight's Road to the White House 2008 (CSPAN) featured Dennis Kucinich's (D-Ohio) announcement of his candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. Watch the video here (Most current RealPlayer Required).

As I watched, and listened to Dennis Kucinich's message I noticed it hasn't changed much from his last presidential run, yet I was struck with a vague feeling that Mr. Kucinich has moved to the Center.

Could Dennis Kucinich be using the same words he had spoken three years ago, and yet have magically moved to the Center? After some thought the explanation came to me, Dennis Kucinich hadn't moved to the Center, the Center had moved to Dennis Kucinich.

It was still very much taboo to ask commandingly when the troops might be coming home from Iraq during the last Presidential campaign, but Dennis Kucinich talked the talk, and walked the walk by opposing the Iraq war early on. Kucinich certainly gains credibility for sticking to his ideals, and now he appears to have been very sensible indeed.

In my opinion the greatest obstacle to a successful presidential run isn't his Kucinich's ethnicity, his height, or even Barack Obama, it's his hair. I have a hard time listening to what Kucinich is saying when I suspect his closest advisers have failed to point out his bad hair display.


Captain Jean Luc Picard - Bald - Dignified - A Babe Magnet

My personal recommendation for Dennis Kucinich is that he should pitch his rug into Lake Eerie in a public ceremony. If he's balding, and he doesn't like the half haired look he should shave his head. Anyone recall Captain Jean Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise, now there's a look for Kucinich! With Kucinich's striking features he'd look great without any hair.

Right now what the Democrats need is a dignified candidate who can honestly say, I've been consistent, and honest, I've been waiting, and now I want your vote. I can't entirely trust Kucinich if I believe that he believes that he can't win the Presidency just because he's balding.

While he's probably right to harbor such fears, he should try the shaved head look. He might just look way too cool for the Presidency - but no one could say he was hiding anything.

Bertrand Russell A Rebel Outcast Embraced

Bertrand Russell - A Father Of Sixties Counter Culture

"A good world needs knowledge, kindliness, and courage; it does not need a regretful hankering after the past or a fettering of the free intelligence by the words uttered long ago by ignorant men."

I didn't know much about Bertrand Russell when I first posted his quote in the banner space to my blog. I still wouldn't claim much knowledge about the man. I am however impressed with what I have read about Bertrand Russell. His Grandfather was Prime Minister of England, his father was an esteemed politician, and Bertrand himself was groomed for political leadership from early childhood. He was a member of the British Aristocracy, but despite his blazing intellect he never accepted his anointed social status.

For his rebellious nature he paid the price in many ways, yet he lived long enough to see his liberal ideals embraced by the counter culture of the 1960's. Make love not war might have summed up his approach, but he was vastly more complex than that.

I'll probably never take the time needed to learn about Bertrand Russell as much as he certainly warrants, yet in my own very small way I hoped to honor him this last week by quoting him, posting his photo, and including a link for interested readers.

If I live long enough I wish that one day I'll have both the time, and energy to grab up a pair of spectacles, sit at the fireplace, and begin to read his philosophical works. I know that if I don't I will have missed out on something very important.

We'll Succeed - Unless We Quit?

Olbermann: Lessons from the Vietnam War

Dave at The11thhour relates his concerns over plans to deploy even more troops to Iraq. Is more better? Has President Bush listened to the American people? Has he learned anything from November 2006 Midterm elections? Probably not.

I've including an excellent video from MSNBC Countdown's Keith Olbermann in which Olbermann states,

"Mr. Bush, there are a dozen central, essential lessons to be derived from our nightmare in Vietnam, but “we’ll succeed unless we quit,” is not one of them".

While watching (CSPAN) the imperial styled Full Honor Review ceremony, held for the now former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, I couldn't help but be reminded of President Nixon's inauguration ceremony in which he insisted that regal trumpets blare in the fashion of the Roman Empire.

Rumsfeld's departure seemed a surrealistic denial of his failure in Iraq. At least Richard Nixon left the White House in a low key ceremony which imparted some dignity to the occasion. I guess this was too much to expect from the Bush Administration which is still in the process of promoting the war in Iraq.

As the Bush administration distances itself from the reality of its failed Mideast policy it has chosen to blame everyone, and every institution but itself. Who else could be to blame if not for the liberal media, and a gullible public?

While the jig is up on the Iraq war, as long as a departure from Iraq can be stalled there is still big money to be made by Bush, Cheney, and company. Just knowing that should make it clear that we won't be seeing any serious reductions in expenditures of blood, or treasure in the next two years.

The Christmas Tree Stand That Saved My Marriage

Video Of Bowling's Last Stand - Christmas Tree Stand

The featured video touts my favorite Christmas tree stand. This Bowling's Last Stand Christmas tree stand is perhaps one of the wisest purchases I have ever made. I bought mine eight years ago for around one hundred dollars. This stand makes setting up large trees a breeze, and I'm certain has saved me hours of wrestling around with the Christmas tree each year. This tree stand is so rugged that I'm certain it will be around long after I've met my maker.

Bowling Enterprises, located in Bear Lake, Michigan is owned, and operated by Floyd Bowling Jr and Floyd Bowling Sr. Check out their website.

Is this an advertisement? Not really!

I don't have anything to do with Bowling Enterprises, but I do like small American owned, and operated, companies that turn out superior products.

Bowling Enterprises makes a far superior Christmas tree stand than any of the flimsy Chinese made stands - the only kind of stand that you'll find at your local China-Mart Store.

So buy the best, and buy Midwest!

Update:

Here's an email which I sent to one of the good folk at Bowling's Enterprises.

Patti,

Your product is undeniably the best stand on the market. I've checked your website out, and see where you offer several other stands. I've seen some of your other models in use too.

I've always been amazed at how people will spend a hundred dollars on a tree, and then get home, and spend hours trying to just get the tree in the stand properly. Sometimes they never do!

We have this little trick where we leave the plastic mesh on the tree. We put a little indentation with a screw driver in the middle of the trunk, and lift the tree into the Bowling's Last Stand. We then twirl the tree around ( I walk in circles with the tree) a few times until it sinks into the center screw.

With the tree still in the plastic mesh my wife has no trouble holding the tree upright, while I tighten the screws below.

It works like a charm year after year!

We then back away to see if the tree is standing straight, and then use scissors to cut the mesh in half, and simply pull the remaining mesh away from the tree.

I feel that the method we use would not work with any other tree stand but yours. Why? Because when the mesh catches on your tree stand it has no effect. If I tried this on an inferior tree stand it would tip the tree over, or possibly break the stand.

Leaving the mesh on until the last moment leaves the tree undamaged.

Most importantly the the tree is aligned as straight as it can be.

There's no fighting, nor any of the "blame game" which used to take place every year before we bought our Bowling's Last Stand.

Christmas is supposed to be a celebration, and installing a tree on an inferior stand led to all those little remarks. You know the kind, "Well, you were supposed to hold the tree upright", which would always lead to the inevitable response, "I did, but you must not have screwed in those screws right".

Even worse was round two, "Do you want to try to adjust it?"

Which would almost always make the tree even worse, and then lead to a further round of the blame game!

Now all of that nonsense was before I bought your stand. I can absolutely, and honestly say that we have never had any reason for any of that since getting your stand.

Spending the extra money to buy your stand ended all of that - essentially for the rest of my life - because that stand is so well made it will last longer than I will. I'll have to include it in my will!

So thanks for showing that American made products are as good as they were in the old days.

Feel free to provide a link to that blog post of mine if you wish, that would be an honor, and may God bless you folks.

Merry Christmas!

Priskers In The Sun

Priskers In Winter Sunlight - Jerome, Illinois - December 15th 2006

They have that certain something
You'd only recognize it if you look
There's a personality in there

They'll treat you with acceptance
They will give you all their love
They will never question why

GotShoo Link Added To Blogroll

I added GotShoo to my blogroll today. Looks like an interesting site, with regular updates.
GotShoo is also the talent behind Springfield's newest service to the blogging community - Spfldbloggers.

Spfldbloggers is at this moment very much a work in progress. Shoo has now implemented a feed aggregator. The banner logo has been replaced! An improvement too, I might add.

From this:


Spfldbloggers banned "beta banner"


To this:


Spfldbloggers intro banner


An Artistic Review Of The Now "Banned" Beta Banner?

In reviewing Shoo's artwork I first noted his employment of crayon like colors, and themes. The banner included child like symbolizations of simple visual icons such as birds, sun rays, and clouds. At the center of the piece is a dome, presumably the Illinois State Capitol. Three contemporary Springfield, Illinois celebrities are featured encircled in bright crayon circles. The three photographic images include, the current (2006) Mayor of Springfield, Illinois, Tim Davlin, and two contemporary Springfield, Illinois television celebrities, WICS' Gus Gordon, and Jerry Lambert.

The "beta banner" evoked a humorous response from this reviewer, in that it looks as if it could have been created by a six year old child. Still the banner employed juxtaposition of photographic elements with simple graphic art. It juxtaposed the sophisticated images created by those seeking to persuade (the corporate, and political world), with the honest child like graphics. In this sense the artwork wasn't without total merit.

Local artist & writer, Shoo, stated on his online journal that he received a request to discontinue use of his artwork on his website due to a legal threat made against him - by what, or whom he doesn't say.


Spfldbloggers Service - A Review

With feedlinking providing updated posting information Spfldbloggers will make it easy to see what's going on in the Springfield, Illinois BlogoSphere without actually having to visit any of the listed blogs! A real time saver!

A bit of local blogosphere history would reveal that Marie at Disarranging had developed, and retained an authoritative blogroll history links page at her site.

Here's a link to her old list, and a link to her new list. Marie has tipped her hat to SpfldBloggers by linking to SpfldBloggers as her new list. Quite an honor Shoo.

My Eerie Blog

My Eerie Blog

Dedicated to Dave of The11thhour.
May it inspire you.

Dave Heinzel Challenges Gus Gordon To A Duel!

I recently added Dave Heinzel's blog to my blogroll, and so I was amused to discover that we each recently wrote about WICS Channel 20's Gus Gordon.

Heinzel states that Springfield, Illinois is just too small for the both of them, and has challenged Gordon to a duel! Heinzel states,

"So a time will soon come that I will be forced to face my antagonist and engage him in a duel. A duel of wits. A witty duel where only one man will remain standing, and the other will be forced to retire to his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio".

Here's the link to Dave Heinzel's humorous post on my favorite weather caster Gus Gordon. Heinzel's post has already gathered eight comments, while my post has yet to inspire even one comment.

Springfield, Illinois' Gus Gordon Production Company

One of the first post I ever wrote for this blog was a funny little story which a former coworker had told me in which he had met Gus Gordon the locally famous weather man for WICS 20. In the story I recount how my friend had gone to the Muni, and ended up sitting next to Gus Gordon. My friend had noticed it looked like rain, and brought an umbrella along, and when it started to rain he pulled out his umbrella. He said that poor Gus was getting soaked for want of an umbrella. Never one to miss a good dig, my coworker looked over at Gus, and said, "Well I guess you must not have watched the forecast". He claims Gus gave him a bad look.

It was about a year after posting that cute story that I ran into Gus Gordon. I was walking with Randy of Photos-Etc, and we were headed over the Abe Lincoln Home to shoot some photos of the area in the snow. It was snowing pretty heavy as we walked down sixth street.

It was just in front of the Hoogland Center for the Arts that we ran into Gus Gordon. He was talking with another gentleman at the time.

I introduced myself to Gus, and mentioned that I had a post on my blog about him. To my recollection Gus was very polite, and had a good sense of humor. Gus said that he had actually read the post, and wanted to add just one note of correction. He stated that although he didn't recall the actual incident, that it may have happened, although he said he would never have given anyone a bad look. And that was that. Randy, and I continued on, and took some nice photographs of the Abe Lincoln home in the snow - some of which were posted.

I also received a comment on the Gus Gordon post which stated that Gus Gordon's first name is William, and that his middle name is Agustus - the source of "Gus".

And so I have been wanting to post an update on Gus Gordon ever since. Gus has a theater production company called Gordon Productions. I'm including a link to it now in honor of Gus Gordon.

Blevins' Mind Demons

Springfield, Illinois Web Journalist Palmer Blevins has asked for his readers comments on the subject of spiritual possession.

I'm posting my comment below.

With biblical possession we're looking at an observation, and understanding of an observation that dates to a time before the age of western science.

So how much of the phenomena of possession is understood via western science, and how much remains to be discovered?

There's also the spiritual, and religious approach to understanding such phenomena. Should any of that be factored in?

I'd tend to completely dismiss religious explanations, except I believe that in this case, at this point in time, western science has yet to grapple with several very important issues relating to human cognition, and behavior.

The scientific method, and the peer review process, remains unchallenged as a method for the development of human knowledge of the material world, yet human beings have only used this method for a very short time.

In the mad rush of eschewing anything seen as spiritual the whole realm of the spiritual has been cast into disrepute, and little scientific research has been funded in the field of parapsychology.

However, this state of neglect is about to change.

The coming age of quantum computers depends upon an understanding of types of quantum interactions which will most likely lead toward a greater understanding of how the brain works.

Science may soon verify that consciousness is the result of quantum interactions which incorporate non local input.

In fact the development of artificial intelligent computers may depend upon such interactions.

In any case huge amounts of money, and resources will soon be thrown into the development of logic devices of which their designs will depend upon a greater understanding of quantum forces than ever before.

One of the most profound obstacles to understanding quantum scale phenomena is the notion that what is seen at the quantum scale is necessarily confined to the quantum scale.

The next generation of computer scientist, engineers, software designers, communications specialist, and those studying logic will by necessity open the doorway to a future in which our "modern" classical understanding of causality, and locality will be challenged.

And how does this apply to the subject of possession?

If the brain is in fact a quantum computer, and if the brain is in fact networked within the supraluminal field, then spiritual possession may be not only be scientifically verifiable, but also rationally, and scientifically understood. We're about to find out.

Hep Koshi Kat Hangin With Kerouac

Hep Koshi Kat Hangin With Kerouac

Koshi Kat in deep kat funk
Diggin the rap

Honey & Quinine - Good Mix

Illinois Times contributer Job Conger has resumed blogging!

His smart looking WordPress blog is as much of a joy to look at as it is to read.

Job Conger is a prodigious writer, and offers commentary on a broad variety of topics. While Job is known in Central Illinois for his regular contributions to the Illinois Times, among the Springfield literary and art community Job is best known for having authored several books on the poetry of Springfield's legendary poet Vachel Lindsay.

Job Conger is quite literally a "word machine", and now visitors to the blogosphere can make full advantage of Job's insights, and literary contributions by visiting Honey & Quinine.

Are You Happy To Accept It?

So like when you were little
Playin
Out in the yard
Mom, and dad inside
And you were outside
Do you remember?

Your friends
They were there too
One was your best
but they all were your
heroes and your family
Do you remember?

And you'd come up with games
And rules for those games
and the games they'd begin
and you'd run and you'd spin
And you'd hide
And you seek
And you'd see
And you'd say
And you'd
Play
And you'd
Play
And you'd
Play
Do you
Remember?

How happy you felt
Without even knowing
That feeling
of air rushing across your ears
As you'd run in the dark
Your heart beatin so fast
And you'd feel embraced
By every little thing
Do you remember?

And the stars
would be comin out
The sounds of night
be comin out
Running through the yard
In your bare feet
Feeling grass
between your toes
You'd feel so real
Do you remember?

You didn't live for yesterday
You didn't live for tomorrow
You didn't live for anything
You didn't live for anyone
You just lived
Do you remember?

Wasn't that life
In that moment
Wasn't that life
Do you remember?

And now
What are you doing
Are you living
Are you connecting
With the moment
Are you connecting
With you
Are you connecting
With any part of what you
were then
or what you are now
Do you remember?

Or are you tellin yourself
You're trapped
That one day
You'll be carefree
again
Is that what you say
to yourself
At the end of each day
Is that what you say
And are you happy
To accept it?

Was Landmark Ford Visited By Ghost Lights?

Springfield, Illinois 12.05.2006 - Auto Dealership - Strange Lights Seen?

Strange Lights Seen?

Last Thursday night, November 30th, 2006 was a night few local residents will forget. A severe winter storm hit the Midwest, leaving Central Illinois covered in ice, and snow. Hundreds of thousands of residents throughout the area lost power, with over thirty five thousand Springfield, Illinois residents losing power.

Blue flashes of light filled the sky as ice burdened power lines broke away from transformers. Other flashes of light were seen that night. The winter snow storm which hit the area also brought with it lightning. Snow storms which produce lightning, and thunder are rare.

Stranger still are reports of intense red, and green flashes of light coming from clouds over Jerome, Illinois - a suburb of Springfield, Illinois.

There has also been at least one report of strange multicolored lights possibly originating from an auto dealership located on Springfield, Illinois' southwest side!

Rich Miller writes, "I saw those multi-colored flashes as well Thursday night", referring to a blog post by Springfield blogger, JeromeProphet, "I was pulling into that 24 hour megastore just southwest of spfld when it happened".

Miller stated that he suspected that malfunctioning flood lights at a auto dealership was the cause of the multicolored lights which he saw on Springfield's far south side.

Knox wrote a series of blog post refuting a link between Miller's claims, and his own. Jerome Prophet went on to ask, how ordinary white floodlights could produce red, and green light of such an intensity that it could be seen through a driving ice storm several miles away when visibility was severely limited. He also claimed that the lights he, and his family saw were coming from clouds directly overhead, and not reflecting off of the bottom of clouds.

Jerome Prophet also pointed out, in a response to Miller, that auto dealership floodlights couldn't produce thunder, which Jerome Prophet claims his family heard.

Video: Prairie Crossing After Ice Storm


Drive Through Area Leads To Questions

The short video above was taken of the auto dealership park on Springfield's southwest side. As you may notice the floodlights are producing white light. None appear to be flickering, or producing any other colors.

Out of dozens of flood lights which appeared to be working properly I located just one which wasn't functioning. Every light pole I noticed appeared to be undamaged, and properly erect. Each dual set of flood lights is capped at the top, and almost all light produced by the floodlights hits the ground below.

I have never seen ordinary floodlights produce green, blue, or red light simply because of power fluctuations. A simple experiment of attaching a floodlight to a dimmer switch, while fluctuating the amount of power reaching the floodlight produced no such alteration in color.



Strange Colored Lights Seen @ Prairie Crossing - Springfield, IL?


Questions For Rich Miller

You were in total disagreement with the interpretation (light flashes originating in clouds) of my own family's experience, but there are many questions I have about your experience.

You wrote, "I saw those multi-colored flashes as well Thursday night. I was pulling into that 24 hour megastore just southwest of spfld when it happened (went to buy a kerosene heater)".

Was this the Meijer's which is located at 4200 Conestoga Drive?

Rich you wrote, "The flashes coincided with a power outage, and I speculated at the time that it was all those incredibly bright street lights at the car dealerships behind the store going off, on, off (with accompanying power surges) that caused the bizarre light display".

So Rich you're "pulling into" the Meijer's parking lot, and the sky is filling with strange colored lights, and you "speculated at the time" that it was coming from the auto dealerships?

You managed to drive into the "Megastore's" parking lot without actually seeing the floodlights themselves (casting multicolored flashes) which you speculate at the time must be the cause of the bizarre light display.

Now if you had actually seen the white floodlights casting flashes of colored lights into the sky wouldn't you have said that? Instead you say, "speculated at the time", and so I must assume that you never actually saw the source of the multicolored light flashes.

If you only saw multi-colored flashes in the sky, and never saw the source of those flashes, and were forced to speculate on their origin, then why are you so sure that the light flashes were coming from the ground, and beaming into the sky?

In response to my own family's account in which we actually watched the flashes in the clouds directly over us you stated, "I strongly disagree. From my perspective, it appeared that the multi-colored lights were ground-based and glowing upwards, not the other way around".

But apparently you base this on sheer speculation since you never actually saw what you believe was the source of the light flashes.

Do you honestly believe that white floodlights can emit red, and green light?

Do you honestly believe that those floodlights could have filled the sky so brightly that the light from those auto dealership floodlights would have made its way all the way to Jerome when a heavy ice storm was in progress (see photo below)?

Is that what you're suggesting?

My own family broke out in laughter after hearing this.


Prairie Crossing Auto Park & Meijer's from Veterans Parkway @ Night

In the photograph above we see the entrance of the "Megastore" which Rich Miller stated that he visited the Last Thursday night.

Despite the fact that the various auto dealership flood lights are clearly obvious to anyone with proper vision while entering into the complex Rich Miller wrote that he needed to speculate that light flashes were coming from the auto dealership.

Was Springfield, IL Subjected to EMF Experiment?

In my recent post titled, Blue, Green & Red Lightning Over Jerome Illinois, I recount how my family was startled to observe unusual colored light flickers coming from the clouds over Jerome, Illinois last Thursday night. November 30th, 2006 was the night a devastating ice storm struck Central Illinois. Tens of thousands of residents of Central Illinois are still living without power, while temperatures dip into single digits.

Anyone experienced with ice storms will probably know that power lines burdened by the weight of ice are ripped from their connections to overhead transformers, and that when this happens bright blue flashes fill the sky from electrical arching (sparks).

I've seen the illumination produced by such electrical arching on several occasions, but the multicolored flashes coming from the clouds over Jerome, Illinois last Thursday night were more than a bit suspicious. Pure green light, red light, and blue light flickered from within overhead clouds.

My post resulted in one response, and that has led to my decision to post again on this subject. To read the original post click on the link above, and then come back here to read the following exchange.

You may also want to check Marie Carne's post on her reaction to the thunder-snow storm which hit the city of last Thursday evening.

Rich Miller's Comment*

Rich Miller said...

I saw those multi-colored flashes as well Thursday night. I was pulling into that 24 hour megastore just southwest of spfld when it happened (went to buy a kerosene heater).

The flashes coincided with a power outage, and I speculated at the time that it was all those incredibly bright street lights at the car dealerships behind the store going off, on, off (with accompanying power surges) that caused the bizarre light display.

JeromeProphet's Response

Rich,

I noticed that as well (power flickering, in tandem with clouds flickering).

Most people would assume that the light flashes were a result of power lines, heavy with ice, either falling to the ground, or shorting at the transformer.

I am in no way suggesting that there weren't many instances in which charged power lines weren't doing exactly that. We know that for a fact.

I've watched in fascination, and horror, as a tornado came straight into our neighborhood. I watched as the sky filled with sudden purplish blue flashes as transformers shorted out as the tornado advanced.

I've seen many similar blue flashes in another ice storm which hit this area many years ago.

Any normal person would assume that those strange colored lights must have been the result of ice shorting out power lines.

Most people have little reason to believe anything other than that.

Interestingly, it is exactly this assumption which allows for such an event to be exploited.

Read that again, because it is important.

If I fly up into a cloud, and start flashing a red, green, and blue strobe light on an average night - there will at least be some rumblings about the source of those lights.

If those same colored flashes occur on a night in which there is an alternative explanation (plausible denial for those whose fragile psyche needs it) then those flashes are much easier to produce without causing a public relations problem.

No Main Stream Media outlet will ever question the source of such flashes - it just won't happen.


EMF Weapon Testing Over Springfield, Illinois?

Rich, let's look at the coincidence of the strange colored light flashes, and the power flickering in homes, and businesses below.

I noticed those too. I never mentioned it, because I felt it would be a bit too much to ask from my readers. I'm certain that most of my regular readers don't believe any of what I write about these types of subjects.

I have a very good friend who also blogs, and while he politely tolerates my post on this type of subject he never (ever) comments on them! Despite our decades long friendship he doesn't believe in any of this at all, and except for one sarcastic post he's never made one single comment - despite the gravity of my allegations.

The lesson is, when one of your best buddies believes that you're either insane, or totally ignorant, for blogging about such topics you can only imagine what those who don't know you must assume.

Despite the risk of further damage to my credibility I'm going to address the subject further in this post. This isn't the first time I've seen such phenomena (i.e., flickering lights from clouds at the same time power flickers within the home). Having said that, so what? I suspect it's commonplace.

I've seen such phenomena many times, over many decades, even when no type of storm was present (ice storm or otherwise).

Although it may be a natural phenomena I'm inclined to believe otherwise.


A Type of EMF Dampening Field?

I've noticed that the "dampening" effect isn't confined to power coming from a power line into a home. It also appears to effect power from a battery going into a flashlight - especially if the flashlight's battery is already somewhat weak.

How does a flicker of "light" within a cloud cause a dampening of energy reaching a light bulb within the rather simple circuit of a flashlight?

With enough money, and within a very short period of time I suspect this wouldn't take much to develop.

Just placing a large Tesla coil within an aircraft, and powering it up over a city would cause some rather interesting electrical effects below.


Motive?

Why would anyone, or any organization, want to take advantage of a storm by testing EMF weapons on a metro area that is already under siege from wind, rain, snow, and ice?

First, because they can, and secondly because the storm provides a perfect cover for running such an operation.

Resultant harm?

Unknown.

Possible gain?

Additional development of such a weapon, and experience in using it under extreme weather conditions.

Are we lab rats?

Perhaps, but if there was no harm done, and such weapons are covertly advanced with the goal to defend us - perhaps that's the price we pay for our freedom, and prosperity.

.
One Final Question

I don't believe that EMF weapons produce red flickering from clouds. There might be something I don't understand about the physics, but there doesn't appear to be any reason for a red, or almost pure green light to be flickering down from within a cloud.

So why were such colors produced?

Perhaps we should ask those who produced them?
.
* The name used to sign the comment was Rich Miller. See comment to the original post.
** Jerome, Illinois is a suburb of Springfield, Illinois.

ICE

Ice Infection (JeromeProphet 12.02.2006)
.
.
.

ICE
By JP

Scattered throughout the trees.
It waited, nearly motionless.
Huddled within their dwellings.
They were Oblivious
To the infection.
.
.
.