Saturday, June 20, 2009

What Could It Be?

The news and internet have both been abuzz with sightings of strange cloud formations. The one in the midwest has meteorologists thinking about a new cloud designation. The one seen at King's Dominion in Virginia has been brushed aside as smoke from a fire--which some folks aren't buying.

Looking at the pictures didn't present anything worth getting the proverbial panties in a twist. But the comments? Something else entirely.

Okay, some of them sounded like a four-year-old bleating a scary story, adding to it as more people listened. Some of them, however, made some interesting correlations.

The odd weather we're experiencing in much of the U.S. played a part and had speculation rife. Everything from global warming to alien visitors. Yeah, alien visitors, or to be more precise, those that put us here coming to check on us, hiding evidence of their presence in these dense and unusual cloud formations.

Stop rolling your eyes and think about it for a moment. Now, whether or not you believe in UFOs, think about the possibilities. Why would our "alien forefathers" put us here in the first place? Are we some huge, galactic science experiment? A planet of two-legged rodents unknowingly navigating a cicuitous maze? Have they taken bets on how long it will be before we destroy ourselves? Or are they counting on us to find a way to save ourselves, our planet, and in so doing, save them?

Mythology is filled with gods, goddesses, demi-gods, etc., playing with human beings like one plays a game of chess. Irritating, aggravating, or just ignoring these immortals resulted in dire consequences for the mere humans with whom they amused themselves.

Most Mythology stems from ancient religious beliefs--or even current ones, if you're in the agnostic camp. For all of our science, man's belief systems remain. Why? If we are nothing more than the highest animal in the food chain, why do we insist on believing in a higher power? And what would happen if we didn't?

The Star Gate series mixed myth and potential aliens with great results. Now, a few unusual atmospheric phenomena have resurrected some of those same elements, stirring imaginations to the point of, what would seem, the ridiculous. Yet, history tells us these, or similar, things have happened before, and man is responding now as he did then--searching for an explanation and, when none presents itself, inventing one that satisfies his need for understanding.

Cold logic declares fire the likely cause of the King's Dominion clouds. It also says rare atmospheric conditions resulted in the unique characteristics the midwestern formations displayed, and that meteorologists will examine the data and realize what circumstances united to foment the unique configurations.

Cold logic never wrote a good story.

2 comments:

Micki Peluso is the author of "And the Whippoorwill Sang" said...

Pat,

What a great blogger you are!! Of course I am a strong believer in all things supernatural and alien so this piece you wrote was like a delicious dessert to me!! Thanks for adding my blog to yours. as you can see I haven't yet figured out how to add yours to mine and I wish I could as your blogs would give my blog home a facelift sorely needed. since mine is so old now I guess I'll have to write a new one. I have several on the authorsDen.com that I can hopefully move over to my blog. I stopped blogging much because no one seems to read them. I must be boring them to death lol.

Micki Peluso

PJ von Detweiler said...

Hi, Micki,

Thanks for your kind words. I'm hoping that these blogs will find tinder in the minds of other writers which needs but a spark to ignite. Just a wee spark, but enough to dislodge the rotting dampness ruts inevitably produce to get to the dry, crackling bits underneath.

{{{Hugs}}}