I kid you not

[Ian Beardsley]

I kid you not, rouphly 2:50 in the early morning
today I was sitting on the front porch smoking a
cigarette and in the South West I saw a huge flash of
light as if a nuclear bomb went off in L.A. It was
perfectly spherical and went from the horizon to about
a quarter of the zenith. There is not a cloud in the
sky and ball lighting is extremely rare. Besides, I
waited for the thunder, which must follow after
lightning and it never came. I cannot explain by
anything I understand. I am going to go put on the
news and see if others saw it and what it might have
been. If you live in L.A. tell us out here in the valley: What in the hell is going on. :popcorn:

[Godless Dave]

You don't always hear thunder if the lightning is far away.

[JoeP]

Obviously it was a sign: either from god, suggesting you repent, or from your brain, suggesting you visit a neurologist asap.

I can debunk the "thunder must follow lightning" theory. We frequently get flashes bright enough to catch your attention inside a room, but with no thunder, because they're so far away.

You say no cloud - I presume you could see stars - but maybe there was some thin cloud, enough to reflect a very distant lightning flash.

[JoeP]

:dddp: :sorry:

[Ian Beardsley]

Well L.A. is fine. World news from there is not talking about anything having happened. Whatever it was, If others saw it, and many had to from what it looked like, we will hear about.

[Ian Beardsley]

They often call people quacks for saying they saw UFO's. But then it was a reputable scientist -- Fermi's Paradox--that said given what we know about the universe, question is: where are they? :D

[Dragar]

They often call people quacks for saying they saw UFO's

Nah, people see Unidentified Flying Objects all the time. Problem is, they try to turn 'unidentified' into 'alien spacecraft!'.

It's another "I don't know, therefore [whatever I choose to posit]" fallacy.

[Ronin]

I don't know exactly where you live Ian, however, my folks live in Hemet and apparently the nearby mountain town of Idyllwild was hit with some severe wind causing trees and power poles to topple.

Strong gusts ravish SoCal mountain town Idyllwild (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/10821858.htm?1c).

"About 5,600 customers in the region lost power when the winds toppled three power poles, said Bob Lopez, regional manager for Southern California Edison."

Is this within the range and area you were viewing?

[Ensign Steve]

I don't know which "the valley" Ian lives in, but I don't think there is any "the valley" on the other side of Idyllwild from LA.

[Ian Beardsley]

I don't know exactly where you live Ian, however, my folks live in Hemet and apparently the nearby mountain town of Idyllwild was hit with some severe wind causing trees and power poles to topple.

Strong gusts ravish SoCal mountain town Idyllwild (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/10821858.htm?1c).

"About 5,600 customers in the region lost power when the winds toppled three power poles, said Bob Lopez, regional manager for Southern California Edison."

Is this within the range and area you were viewing?
Yes it definitely is. And when I told my Dad about this he said I probably saw a power transformer blow out, that it can be pretty bright. This right in line with what you are saying. I would have never thoght of it.
Ian

[Ensign Steve]

Oh, I stand corrected. I only know two valleys that call themselves "the valley" though. San Juaquin and San Fernando. :)

[Ian Beardsley]

I don't know which "the valley" Ian lives in, but I don't think there is any "the valley" on the other side of Idyllwild from LA.
Where exactly is Idywild? In any case it was probably a power tranformer blowing out, and much closer than I thought. I am in the San Gabriel Valley.
Ian

[Ronin]

I don't know which "the valley" Ian lives in, but I don't think there is any "the valley" on the other side of Idyllwild from LA.
Where exactly is Idywild? In any case it was probably a power tranformer blowing out, and much closer than I thought. I am in the San Gabriel Valley.
Ian

Idyllwild is well east of you, Ian...south and east of Riverside.

I'm thinking you still might have seen a transformer blow as a result of the same wind storm, though.

As an item of miscellaneous interest, I was born a mere stone's throw from you in Apple Valley.

:wave:

[Ensign Steve]

I don't know which "the valley" Ian lives in, but I don't think there is any "the valley" on the other side of Idyllwild from LA.
Where exactly is Idywild? In any case it was probably a power tranformer blowing out, and much closer than I thought. I am in the San Gabriel Valley.
Ian

Oh, mah bad. I forgot about that one.

(note to non-california spectators: there are about a million valley's, almost all beginning with San or Santa, but only a few are "The Valley (tm)".)

[Ronin]

Fer sher.

[Ian Beardsley]

Fer sher.
Fer sher no doubt, like totally, and skaters call it the Badlands.
:innocent:

[Ensign Steve]

Hey, Fer Sher belongs to one valley, and one valley only. That's the San Fernando Valley. (my valley) The only reason I let the others get away with it is that they are bigger. :)

[pescifish]

:cheer: :jd: :cheer: :sadcheer: :cheer:

My turn in the cheering section, Ensign Steve!

The Valley (tm) is most definitely your valley: San Fernando Valley.

(and Hey, I work in one of the non-"San" valleys:
:elk: Antelope :rudolph2: )

What part of San Gabriel Valley do you live, Ian? My ol' stompin' grounds! The first [town]house I bought was in Azusa and before that I lived in Sierra Madre.

I didn't see nuthin' of the light show you saw tonight, though. Usually, if there's some big smoking hole, it's out where I work. (Speaking of which, LadyShea, that big smoking hole you had out your way in December was one of our birds :( Well, not one of our test birds, but one of the AF's.)

[Ian Beardsley]

:cheer: :jd: :cheer: :sadcheer: :cheer:

My turn in the cheering section, Ensign Steve!

The Valley (tm) is most definitely your valley: San Fernando Valley.

(and Hey, I work in one of the non-"San" valleys:
:elk: Antelope :rudolph2: )

What part of San Gabriel Valley do you live, Ian? My ol' stompin' grounds! The first [town]house I bought was in Azusa and before that I lived in Sierra Madre.

I didn't see nuthin' of the light show you saw tonight, though. Usually, if there's some big smoking hole, it's out where I work. (Speaking of which, LadyShea, that big smoking hole you had out your way in December was one of our birds :( Well, not one of our test birds, but one of the AF's.)

Yikes, Antelope Valley, isn't that where the Golden Poppy reserve is, just acres and acres of that fabulous wildflower. I have only seen pictures and hope to visit it soon. Azusa, everything from A-Z in the USA. I went to Citrus College for awhile right before Azusa. I live in Claremont, the town at the foot of the San Gabriel mountain range summit, Mt. Baldy, where the skiing, lodgeing and Zen Monastery is. I love Sierra Madre, neat town, and close to Pasadena for the fabulous night life on Colorado Blvd.
Ian

[pescifish]

Yikes, Antelope Valley, isn't that where the Golden Poppy reserve is, just acres and acres of that fabulous wildflower. I have only seen pictures and hope to visit it soon. Why, yes, indeed. In fact, I noticed a few of the hot orange beauties (http://www.pescifish.net/images/poppies-close.jpg) this morning on the way into work. It's a bit early for them, but maybe that snow we got early January, heavy rains and now heat dragged them out. For the last few years the poppies haven't been worth the drive, but maybe this year. I'll let you know here on this board, when the time comes, if you want.
Azusa, everything from A-Z in the USA. And you can buy it all at the Costco! I went to Citrus College for awhile right before Azusa. I live in Claremont, the town at the foot of the San Gabriel mountain range summit, Mt. Baldy, where the skiing, lodgeing and Zen Monastery is. Claremont is also home to a cluster of some of the most excellent colleges you can find in this country: Harvey Mudd, Claremont McKenna, Scripps, Pitzer, Pomona. I used to take the mountain road route from Azusa to Mt. Baldy area and pop out in Claremont. It's an area where you really get the real beauty of the foothills. I didn't know about the Zen Monastery, though!
I love Sierra Madre, neat town, and close to Pasadena for the fabulous night life on Colorado Blvd. Yeah, I worked in Pasadena at the time. I loved that little city but there was no way I could actually buy any house there -- way too expensive for me!

[Ian Beardsley]

Yikes, Antelope Valley, isn't that where the Golden Poppy reserve is, just acres and acres of that fabulous wildflower. I have only seen pictures and hope to visit it soon. Why, yes, indeed. In fact, I noticed a few of the hot orange beauties (http://www.pescifish.net/images/poppies-close.jpg) this morning on the way into work. It's a bit early for them, but maybe that snow we got early January, heavy rains and now heat dragged them out. For the last few years the poppies haven't been worth the drive, but maybe this year. I'll let you know here on this board, when the time comes, if you want.
Azusa, everything from A-Z in the USA. And you can buy it all at the Costco! I went to Citrus College for awhile right before Azusa. I live in Claremont, the town at the foot of the San Gabriel mountain range summit, Mt. Baldy, where the skiing, lodgeing and Zen Monastery is. Claremont is also home to a cluster of some of the most excellent colleges you can find in this country: Harvey Mudd, Claremont McKenna, Scripps, Pitzer, Pomona. I used to take the mountain road route from Azusa to Mt. Baldy area and pop out in Claremont. It's an area where you really get the real beauty of the foothills. I didn't know about the Zen Monastery, though!
I love Sierra Madre, neat town, and close to Pasadena for the fabulous night life on Colorado Blvd. Yeah, I worked in Pasadena at the time. I loved that little city but there was no way I could actually buy any house there -- way too expensive for me!
That would be great if you could let me know when the poppies are bloom. Another fantastic site that they make me think of are when in San Francisco the Monarch Butterflies are out. It is literally no space unoccupied by them for square miles. It is unbelievable. Yes, Claremont is home to the Claremont Colleges, I infact live here because my Dad went to school there in the 60's. My younger brother graduated from Pitzer under a program for older students with families that have not completed college. It is far to expensive for me, so I have been going to the community college out in Citrus. I am actually a student at University of Oregon, in Eugene, OR on temporary leave. I noticed we have another student from U of O on this forum (see why we should starve the homeless thread), which I don't think we should do personally. Interesting though that he brings up the homeless in Eugene, because the hobos roll into Eugene from the box cars in the Spring in great numbers, after the otherwise continuous rain lets up and hit up all of the students for cash. I am big fan of Woody Guthrie and the songs he wrote living the hobo life style. I am also a fan of Eagle Park Slim, blues legend that plays infront of the University bookstore, rain or shine.
Ian