# Most Awesome Picture Ever: Lightining Striking Statue of Liberty **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 15, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257 "2010-10-15T16:26:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/1 "2010-10-15T16:26:46Z")
[Incredible](http://gizmodo.com/5664768/the-statue-of-liberty-hit-by-lightning) ---
**Author:** ![PeskiPiksi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@PeskiPiksi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeskiPiksi)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/2 "2010-10-15T16:34:20Z")
Very cool! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/3 "2010-10-15T16:41:23Z")
I wonder would this have been comforting or disconcerting to immigrants arriving at Ellis Island? As mentioned in the picture comments, the lightning appears to actually strike behind the statue but no matter, it’s still an awesome shot. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/4 "2010-10-15T16:48:30Z")
It almost looks like she’s wielding the lightning as a weapon. Bitch has a temper. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/5 "2010-10-15T16:48:47Z")
[Apparently](http://www.metro.co.uk/news/843825-incredible-picture-of-the-statue-of-liberty-struck-by-lightning-revealed) she gets hit around 600 times a year. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/6 "2010-10-15T16:56:35Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > It almost looks like she’s wielding the lightning as a weapon. > > Bitch has a temper. A moment’s thought may cause you t o reconsider the phrasing of that second sentence. You never know when she’s listening. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/7 "2010-10-15T17:03:26Z")
Just popping to remind everyone that traditionally, being struck by lightning was taken as a sign of God’s disfavor. ---
**Author:** ![dhkendall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9adbd/32.png) [@dhkendall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dhkendall)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/8 "2010-10-15T17:05:48Z")
By the power of Greyskull … ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/9 "2010-10-15T17:06:19Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > [@tdn](#): > > > > It almost looks like she’s wielding the lightning as a weapon. > > > > Bitch has a temper. > > A moment’s thought may cause you t o reconsider the phrasing of that second sentence. You never know when she’s listening. Lovely lady is miffed, and rightfully so. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/10 "2010-10-15T17:20:58Z")
Hello, new wallpaper! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/11 "2010-10-15T17:21:04Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Just popping to remind everyone that traditionally, being struck by lightning was taken as a sign of God’s disfavor. That was before they knew that lightning goes _upward_. She’s throwing it! ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/12 "2010-10-15T17:36:52Z")
She’s copper, isn’t she? Wonder how she’s grounded, what kind of power courses through her, if there are burn marks or other signs of increased heat, etc… Cool. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/13 "2010-10-15T17:38:26Z")
_sings_ Y-o-o-u-u light up my L-I-I-F-F-E-E! ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/14 "2010-10-15T17:48:58Z")
I was visiting my sister in Jersey City, in her 18th floor apartment the night of that storm. You can see the Statue from her apartment if you stand with your face pressed against the window, but i was not doing that. Still, the storm was pretty awe inspiring. The lightning continued for quite a while. I love that the photographer captured this. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/15 "2010-10-15T18:16:57Z")
Damn: I was planning to start this thread myself. I even had a neat title: “She snatched lightning from the sky and the sceptre from tyrants” (an epigram originally written for Benjamin Franklin). But yeah a seriously cool photo and I hope the photographer makes a boatload of money from it. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/16 "2010-10-15T18:31:56Z")
600 times a year? Is it possible to tap that power? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/17 "2010-10-15T18:40:04Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > 600 times a year? Is it possible to tap that power? Yes, but only for evil. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/18 "2010-10-15T18:40:43Z")
I blame Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/19 "2010-10-15T18:45:00Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > 600 times a year? Is it possible to tap that power? Only to reanimate the undead. But more seriously, averaged over time, its not that much energy. Wikipedia guesstimates a single strike can keep a lightbulb lit for a few hours. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257/20 "2010-10-15T19:05:13Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > > [@Quartz](#): > > > > 600 times a year? Is it possible to tap that power? > > Only to reanimate the undead. > > But more seriously, averaged over time, its not that much energy. Wikipedia guesstimates a single strike can keep a lightbulb lit for a few hours. Not to mention that the strikes would come so randomly that the energy would probably have to be stored…expensively and inefficently. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-awesome-picture-ever-lightining-striking-statue-of-liberty/557257.md?page=2)