SIGHTINGS


 
Mysterious Contrails And
'Spraying' - A Skeptical Review
By Ian Goddard <Ian@Goddard.net>
1-24-99
 
 
In my brief inquiry into possible explanations for the facts outlined in the ENS news reports about mysterious spraying from jets [1], it's my assessment at this time that some innocuous explanations are taking the lead. Here's why:
 
* The major bug I've discovered with the accounts of cobwebs and "angle hair" falling from aircraft and UFOs is that all the accounts I've found have the witnesses claiming that the material "disappears" when they try to collect it! I suppose it could suddenly melt and turn to a gas (as is claimed) whenever people get near it(?!); however, claims that the evidence is gathered by it keeps disappearing before it can be tested is suspect on its face! My request for information about the four samples of "angel hair" ENS reported remains unanswered. I can only assume and hope that, if those samples were taken successfully as indicated, they didn't also disappear.
 
* Spray from aircraft that is said to HAVE been tested [2] is claimed to be jet fuel. Not that dumping jet fuel on people is not bad, but that sounds more like routine pilot-negligence than evidence of a secret operation.
 
* I've also heard talk about photographs and videos of the complex-contrail patterns these jets are said to make, but no such evidence has been presented, and what I have seen presented as evidence are photos showing nothing but an average number of one or two contrails in the sky! But what is more, it turns out that seeing weather-modifica- tion activity is not as unusual as one might assume:
 
* The ENS report cited 11 states wherein witnesses have observed unusual contrail patterns and cloud-seeding-like aerial activity. My Internet searches proved that of those states, 3 have official nonclassified cloud-seeding pro- grams. Also, 6 other states are involved in an open- to-the-public NOAA wether-modification program.
 
In all, I found 10 states involved in nonclassified cloud-seeding programs.[3] Considering you can't find everything after only a few hours of searching the www, it stands to reason that there are probably still more nonclassified cloud-seeding activities around the nation.
 
Of course, based on the military's own information, it stands to reason that classified weather-modification activity are also happening. But the fact that wide- spread weather modification is occurring on an open basis means that witness accounts of activity fitting that profile are not necessarily significant. For me, these facts significantly reduce (but do not elimi- nate) the gravity of the mysterious-contrail case.
 
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[1] Environmental News Service on mysterious spraying: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jan99/1999L-01-08-05.html http://ens.lycos.com/ens/jan99/1999L-01-12-01.html [2] Contains posts pertaining to the contrail case including a claim that spray samples are jet fuel: http://www.esotericworldnews.com/evenmore.htm
 
[3] Weather-Modification Programs In 10 States:
 
Nevada State Weather Modification Program: http://www.dri.edu/ASC/WxMod/HomePage.html
 
Oklahoma State Weather Modification Program: http://www.hpj.com/wsdocs/jul98/CR150645.HTM
 
North Dakota Weather Modification Project: http://www.swc.state.nd.us/ARB/html/ndcmp.html
 
A Cooperative Atmospheric Modification Program page (http://www.swc.state.nd.us/arb/html/noaamp.htm.html) says: "Presently [1998] six states are participating in the [NOAA weather modification] program: Arizona, Illinois, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, and Utah."
 
California-based Weather Modification Project: http://www.dri.edu/Projects/Modeling/wxmod.html
 
A Colorado Weather Modification Program is cited: http://www.lubbockonline.com/news/100596/artifici.htm
 
New Mexico's "Llano Estacado Weather Modification program": http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/resourcesmag/summer97/planting.html





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