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From: rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher)
Newsgroups: net.rumor
Subject: Re: Giant Magnet
Message-ID: <782@ihuxk.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 24-Oct-84 12:40:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxk.782
Posted: Wed Oct 24 12:40:46 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Oct-84 03:28:38 EDT
References: <2567@ihldt.UUCP> <689@hound.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 26

Another possible "explanation" for the giant magnet story is possible
confusion with the giant sub-sonic antenna (proposed?, or already
being installed?) across upper Michigan.  This is for long-wavelength
transmission to submarines, but there has been a lot of protest over
alleged side effects, which I think included weather disturbances
(I repeat, alleged, and I have no idea of the credentials of the people
making the allegations.)

Interestingly, the idea of such an antenna received a fictional
treatment in a novel called Black Magic (I think), which I believe was
written by either Whitley Strieber (The Wolfen and The Hunger) or
maybe Peter Straub (more likely Strieber).  In this novel, the Russians
had discovered a means of mind control (more like mind deadening) using
long-wavelength signals that corresponded to some brain signal.
Thus, these large antennas were supposed to be some plot aimed at
mind control, and the jamming of such signals.  The premise is pretty stupid,
and got worse when the author added in a telepathic individual, whose
natural abilities at mind control were amplified by the fields generated
by the antenna.  Thus, when in the field, this individual exercised total
mind control over others in the vicinity.  The level of sciene in
this book is indicated by the author's (if it was Strieber) previous
books, about werewolves and vampires, resp.  Interesting reading, if you
can suspend your disbelief.

Bob Schleicher
ihuxk!rs55611