Oh Soft Fluffy One,

I defer to your superior knowledge about clouds.  <smile>  But one thing
below puzzles me:


>Jim in Neuvo York escriben:
>
>>It seems to me that the primary qualities of clouds are water, humidity,
>>moisture, etc., as well as some combination of organizing "forces" that
>>makes all the water droplets "stick together" (as opposed to being
>>diffused).  It may very well be the condition or quality of humidity that
>>causes the existence of what we call a "cloud."  Perhaps the Soft Fluffy
>>One will explicate. . . .
>
>The essential definition of a cloud is that it is a phase of the molecule
>H20 not in a pure state but dispersed atomically in the atmosphere
>consisting of other gases. In fact a cloud consists no more than than

[snip]
>
>Clouds can be classified into categories based on their appearances,
>however. The term soft and fluffy is more primordial in the experience of
>clouds since it was quoted I remember when I was a child 'soft fluffy clouds
>that catch the light and reflecting it everywhere' (Orb song). So the in the
>metaphor is contained some approximately physical (in truth) properties
>associated with the tangible scientific qualities. The mere terms denote
>identical properties. Soft fluffy clouds are cumulus, stratus, but not
>cirrus, not nimbo-cumulus clouds.


Jim here:  It seems to me that the statement, "Soft fluffy clouds are
cumulus, stratus, but not cirrus . . . clouds" represents a true
"value-judgment," in the *least* pejorative sense of that oft- maligned
phrase.  Can I ask you why is a cirrus cloud *not* soft? and why is a
cirrus cloud *not* fluffy?  These seem to me to be subjective aesthetic
assessments, and not scientific statements.

Perhaps you could clarify your meaning here, oh fluffmeister.

Jim, seeking the Truth



The 'pre-archi originary' experience of
>clouds is dependent on the childhood, pre-scientific 'perception' of clouds
>possessing the 'quality' of cotton, soft and fluffy, etc. Therefore there is
>no need to isolate the term fluffy from the idea of strato cumulus, not at
>all since the term strato is also metaphorical and connotative in intent.
>The term cumulus has other meanings as does stratus, but the classificatory
>principle is contained in the 'eidos' or look of the formal appearance of
>various types of clouds. The classification is much similar to the naive and
>child or primitive/primordial metaphor. The terms are essentially 'similies'
>in that soft and fluffy is really a simile to cotton perhaps whereas strato
>cumulus is a simile of 'stacked pancakes' as in 'lenticular' clouds, which
>may resemble 'lentils'....now ventricular clouds resemble a vent or column
>that has a narrow apperature....oops may be a tornado from the term tornix
>or tornevis (sic) french and spanish for screwdriver with a turing action.
>
>Reflection (Sur le reflexion en la Nubes)
>"In Arizona I remember soft fluffy clouds catching colors reflected
>everywhere. Long narrow clouds trailing off into the horizons."



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