Good argument Gareth,

But by the same argument we should be researching psychic fire investigation, the laying on of hands, and the use of divining rods and dowsing to find origin. There are much better, more important, and more pressing areas of fire investigation science research desperately in need of time and funding.

It has been my experience that every time there is unwarranted attention put on these pseudo-science issues we end up with a spate of field activity in this claptrap.

I agree with the adage: “Science is the activity of looking down lots of alleys to find out which are blind,” but once we have identified an “alley” as blind, how often do we have to revisit it? Witness the 1990’s folderol over HTA.

Pat Kennedy, CFEI, CFPS, MIFireE
Fire and Explosion Analyst
Sarasota, Florida
[www.kennedy-fire.com]