I was about 3mo old when my parents moved from MO to CA and had barely unpacked when an earthquake was barely strong enough to knock stuff off the shelves hit. Within the month we were living in Hawaii.
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I was teaching an 11th grade Earth Science class about 15 years ago. We were discussing the Rock Record and I brought up Krakatoa. I mentioned that it was the loudest sound ever heard in human history, and that the 1883 explosion was actually even heard (or experienced) as far away as San Francisco. One of my students asked if I heard it. I painedly, yet patiently, explained that I was not yet born in 1883. We had just previously discussed fossils in the Rock Record, so she asked me if Krakatoa was what killed the dinosaurs.
When talking about elevation and tallest buildings, she was positive that the Eiffel Tower, in Chicago, was the tallest.
I guess it is a good thing that she is an Elementary School Teacher now.
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It probably killed a lot of Dinosaurs. Those tropical islands have a lot of feathered flying dinosaurs in the area.
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That’s what really amazed me watching the PBS presentation on it. It had it’s “story line” of course, but also presented factual information. And it’s my understanding that the island is again being rebuilt due to volcanic activity. It’s been several years since I’ve seen anything on it, but may have to check it out again. Definitely going to rewatch the video.
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The US government had decided, just a month before the blast, to close the base. It was by no means shut down, but in the early-early process of leaving.
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Oh, yes. It is oblivious to us due to our limited perspective of our life span being a long time, but this planet is still effusing its internal heat that’s driving vulcanism and plate tectonics. There will be igneous surprises far into mankind’s future.
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Happy 4th, USA people. Let’s all prove just how smart we are to the rest of the world, wave our flags and celebrate American exceptionalism. You know, like these guys:
Watch the dude in the blue shirt as he realizes just how badly they screwed up.
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That would have been terrifying! Can’t imagine no one came out of that without some burns or something.
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Whoa! That was crazy! Hoping no one got injured. And try explaining that to your car insurance. “So tell me again how your car got damaged?” “I was stupid and set a firework off right next to it.”
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I least the first mishap (aka trigger) got everyone mobile before all heck broke loose.
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That definitely hit their supply of fireworks…which were probably sitting right behind the van after they brought them home. OMFG people.
and yes, family responds:
I think their version of “no damage” does not meld with mine.
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Such pretty colors! That’s as good a finale as I’ve seen in a while. Would have been much better at altitude. Motherly instinct had that lady in red in motion instantly!
They obviously weren’t referring to psychological damage. 
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From the article. “One of them lights a firework that appears to be defective”. Ahh no - someone stuck a bottle rocket in the ground, and it couldn’t take off. That why they are call bottle rockets and not poke-them-in-the-ground rockets 
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So much to unpack here… Fireworks in broad daylight, packing what seems to be a crap ton of explosives right behind a car, having a baby within 10 feet of explosives… It’s like a darwin award made into a video. Sorry I have no patience for it.
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You know that the emergency rooms and firefighters must dread the holiday.
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hand surgeons will be busy the next couple of weeks.
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Several municipalities here have opted for drone swarms instead. Considering their versatility in programming I’m sure ‘pretty ordinance’ will fade to a degree. Still need the noisemakers though, my favs are the loud flashes that just throw some sparks.
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i think drone swarms are cool, but it’s a very different show than fireworks.
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I’d be perfectly happy with nothing but drone shows. We took fireworks from Asia a millennia ago, now it’s time to copy them on drones too!
H*ll you could even add noise to a drone show if you wanted to, but the help given to veterans, animals, and anyone with gun/explosive PTSD would be immeasurable. Plus, less damage to the atmosphere.
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Not to mention the heavy metal and perchlorate pollution to bodies of water. Sorry, I like things that go boom but fireworks should be legislated out of existence.
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