Hi Petra:

> ...and I guess it is because those who have >been struck by it and survived, say it's a real >shocking experience. I wonder if its like >sticking your finger in a light socket?

I've heard that:

1)Yes...it is like the light socket only the effect reaches deeper into your body and much quicker.
2)When you command your arm/hands to drop the metal-shafted umbrella (in the middle of the storm) your arm/hand cannot respond as the lightning has caused the muscles to stay in a "death grip" state as it were. So you may want badly to let go but cannot.
3)Standing in water puddled on a sidewalk and holding an umbrella with a metal shaft is not a good idea during a lightning storm.

Since hearing this story, I've noticed that most Americans carry metal shafted umbrellas during lightning storms whereas "foreigners" all carry the "wooden shafted/bamboo" ones. They must be thinking "what stupid Americans".... (Either that or that have lots of faith...)

I've read you accounts of weekend trips also without commenting. They're interesting.

I read how Don almost glocked a dog and it reminded me of a story. Several of us were looking for a particular farmer's house so that we get ask permission to hunt. We found a house which had two doberman pinchers(?) sitting like statues on either side of the front door. We all get out of the vehicle and walked about 10-12 yards from it. At that point the doberman's hit their race pace growling towards us. I went to look at the others around me for their reaction and all I saw was *sses and elbows (running back to the car). That left me standing their with two snarling dobermans who were taking turns making attacking maneuvers into my personal space...but not yet biting.

A man came out and asked us what the h*ll we thought we were doing. Since the dobermans hadn't yet attacked me I proceeded to answer the man and waved my arm around explaining that we had already been down the road (to talk with another farmer). At that point the doberman's blinked (or maybe flinched and retreated a little) when my arm waved in front of them. Then I knew that the dogs were bluffing me and wouldn't really attack me. Anyway, we later found the right farmer and got permission. I think I was labelled both brave and a dumb *ss at the same time for not hauling b*tt back to the car with the rest of them. So this is not an "almost glock'd the dog" story but sort of similar (where the dogs would have been gnawing on me).

Hope this added some entertainment value to the Saturday Review....

2cents worth...

p.s. BTW, I've seen photos of what doberman's can do with their teeth and it sure isn't pretty. Sometimes it takes years of plastic surgery to repair such damage.... Packing a glock on such trips sounds like a good idea.