Does Anyone See Something Wrong with this Headline (Page 2): Other than that, there is the irony of the event. Couldn't the owner "see" into their future?

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Other than that, there is the irony of the event. Couldn't the owner "see" into their future?

GEL Loc: South Carolina

It doesn’t reflect the light
It focuses, magnifies or redirects the light

Michael1079 Loc: Indiana

UTMike wrote:

But the headline "reflects" the usual competence of those who purport to bring us "news", Bob.

Got that right!

going south Loc: Alaska, Mazatlan, sometimes Seattle.

dregl3 wrote:

Here’s another take. If it’s a crystal ball aren’t you supposed to be able to look into it and see the future? So why didn’t the owner do that, and prevent a fire?

That was my take, the all knowing all seeing crystal ball....

Ollieboy

Ourspolair wrote:

The Sun angle must have been very odd for that to be even vaguely possible... Most couches are backed against walls. Even if it was backed against a window, the window frame would have obstructed the sunlight for a significant portion of the day. I think "reflect" is the least problematic element of this story...

How would you know how the furniture is arranged in the house? Just asking?

PixHound Loc: Marietta, GA

rmalarz wrote:

This was on a news site wherein links are provided to various news stories.

"Crystal Ball Sitting In Window Reflects Sunlight Onto Couch, Causes Major House Fire..."

Anyone catch something amiss?
--Bob

Yes, refraction is correct...but my thought was that the focal point of the sun through a glass sphere would be so close to the sphere, that the crystal ball must have actually been on the couch, and not in a stand of any kind. This is illustrated by the plastic ball I placed in the sun on my shop floor. The focal point is well under the radius of the ball.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I wonder if they considered using "refracts," but thought people wouldn't understand. "Reflects" isn't scientifically correct, but people get the idea.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

UTMike wrote:

But the headline "reflects" the usual competence of those who purport to bring us "news", Bob.

Ever notice that most news shows begin with "good morning", "good afternoon" or "good evening" and then proceed to tell us why it's not.

Richard Engelmann Loc: Boulder, Colorado

jerryc41 wrote:

I wonder if they considered using "refracts," but thought people wouldn't understand. "Reflects" isn't scientifically correct, but people get the idea.

Alas, the correct terminology gets lost and then the wrong one becomes common usage. Consider "convection oven,". All conventional ovens had convection in them, it is normal when air parcels of different temperatures, and therefore different densities, interact freely. Somebody somewhere decided to use the word "convection" to describe an oven with a fan-assisted distribution of the heated air, which actually overrides the natural convection.

Bultaco Loc: Aiken, SC

UTMike wrote:

But the headline "reflects" the usual competence of those who purport to bring us "news", Bob.

slcarn Loc: Draper, Utah USA

Ourspolair wrote:

The Sun angle must have been very odd for that to be even vaguely possible... Most couches are backed against walls. Even if it was backed against a window, the window frame would have obstructed the sunlight for a significant portion of the day. I think "reflect" is the least problematic element of this story...

Dear Ourspolair,
We had a house fire in Alaska due to a snow globe sitting the right distance away from the page edges on an open text book on our dining room table. When the sun shine came through the window its movement was parallel to the pages focusing the light beam on the pages long enough to start them on fire. We were not home and returned to a smoldering dining room table. Fortunately, the solid oak table was thick enough it hadn't burned through. Only caused $25,000 in smoke and furniture damage.

If a snow globe can do this I am really sure a solid glass ball would be a better refractor. And if you have ever played with a magnifying glass and the sun I am sure you know it takes a very short time to make paper burn.

Steve

GES

Or even deflects...

HOHIMER

PixHound wrote:

Yes, refraction is correct...but my thought was that the focal point of the sun through a glass sphere would be so close to the sphere, that the crystal ball must have actually been on the couch, and not in a stand of any kind. This is illustrated by the plastic ball I placed in the sun on my shop floor. The focal point is well under the radius of the ball.

When I was a kid I had a glass sphere like that. We set it on a piece of paper in the sun, it would catch the paper on fire. Lots of fun! Ants and caterpillars did not like it.

bodiebill

rmalarz wrote:

This was on a news site wherein links are provided to various news stories.

"Crystal Ball Sitting In Window Reflects Sunlight Onto Couch, Causes Major House Fire..."

Anyone catch something amiss?
--Bob

Was the fire predicted?

edrobinsonjr Loc: Boise, Idaho

rmalarz wrote:

This was on a news site wherein links are provided to various news stories.

"Crystal Ball Sitting In Window Reflects Sunlight Onto Couch, Causes Major House Fire..."

Anyone catch something amiss?
--Bob

Picky, picky picky...