We're deep in the heart of lightning season. Our small talk with our neighbours is littered with references to the gradients and ionization of return-stroke channels, terawatts, and supersonic shock waves decaying to acoustic waves. We quarrel over Electrostatic induction hypotheses versus Polarization mechanism hypotheses, and almost come to blows over Gurevich's runaway breakdown theory. Who can blame us - this heat is driving us nuts.

We've curtailed our local habit of waving our golf clubs above our heads during inclement weather, and the name Zeus is always on our lips.

The eccentric characters who came to town selling lightning rods are now leaving town counting their wads of cash. If we are in doubt, which is all the time, we stay in our cars, putting our trust in rubber tires.

Bad news, fellows. Men are four times as likely to be struck by lightning than women. Good news, fellows. Deaths and injuries from lightning strikes have decreased considerably in recent years, in part due to better forecasting methods and improved lightning awareness, like not bolting for trees to take shelter, or waving your golf club above your head to challenge Zeus.