"I'm an animal lover...they taste great!"

I was a first year P.E. and science teacher when Mt. Saint Helen's blew. We were studying volcanos at the time...so she blew at the perfect time. (Of course ol' Harry Truman might not think so)

I was teaching near Boise, ID...so we didn't really get any ash...but my buddies in the Tri-Cities, where I'm from and currently live, certainly did!

They said they woke up that Sunday morning to a big black cloud coming toward them from the west. They thought it was a giant rain storm coming...untill the ash started falling and the cars started "choking" out. Man, the mechanics got rich that year...with all the ash infected engines breaking down.

You guys from the east might have trouble believing the POWER of that blast! The trees around the mountain were blown over like matchsticks. The government left them laying like that to this day to show the magnificent display of force the explosion had.

Does anyone have a pic they could share of the explosion or of the trees laying down?

I remember those pictures of the trees laying down around Mt St Helens but I couldn't find one. Very impressive

But I must say we guys from the east are not entirely clueless when it comes to impressive explosions and dust. Here's a picture:

http://elcajonfire.com/photos/wtc/28.jpg

Well said...
I thought about that after I typed my statement.

The difference is Nature's power vs. Man's power...or Nature's distruction vs. Man's distruction.

[Edited by RookieDude on May 19th, 2004 at 11:40 PM]

Won't be anything close to the power of the blast rainmaker is going to hit you with for that spelling.

Not tonight. I'm pooped. And besides, I've never made a blast about anything that would come within 10 orders of magnitude of Mt St Helens, or 9-11.

Yeah, I know what you meant. Interesting thing is as I was stumbling around the internet looking for your picture google gave me the picture I posted. I thought twice before posting it, maybe too much buzz kill.

One thing for sure the guy who took that picture is a hell of a photographer.

From <A HREF=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/Images/may18_devastation.html>USGS Page on Mt. St. Helens</A>

This picture shows an entire hillside of trees that were blown down from right to left. The ones to the left of the hill were shielded from the direct blast but were singed from the heat.

<IMG SRC=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/MSH/Images/blowdown_elk_rock.jpg>

This one shows a closer view of the trees.
<IMG SRC=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/MSH/SlideSet/10.jpg>


A blast that blows away a cone of mountain that has a 3 square mile base and 1/4 mile high is simply stunning.

[Edited by Camron Rust on May 20th, 2004 at 01:50 PM]

Camron, thanks for the pix & link!

I recall there was an arial shot that showed a swirling pattern of fallen trees through the blast area.

Whoops...I spelled destruction with an i on my 16th hour of work that day...well that's my story and I'm stecking to it.;)
(Thanks for the pics Camron)

[Edited by RookieDude on May 21st, 2004 at 07:34 AM]

Maybe, but I'm pretty sure "Welcome to New Hampshire. Now go home" came first.

I don't want to start a political upheaval, but I think these are sad. He won, not just through judicial maneuvering, but by the actual votes cast, as validated by two separate private re-counts by different Florida newspapers, as well as a six-month research project by University of Chicago.

It was ugly, pathetic, sad on both sides; and not a particularly shining moment in American history. But to continue the "he stole the election" harangue -- 4 years later -- is unfortunate, IMHO.

Here's a link, albeit an old one. It's from CNN (which is generally thought to be more "liberal" than the average news outlet).

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/flo...ries/main.html

That's the version I've seen too. I don't ride anymore, sadly :(


That one is actually a Far Side cartoon by Gary Larson from the early '80s.


My favorite version of the "The End is Near" genre is: God is returning. And, boy, is she pissed! :)

You gotta think basketball for this one, Dan. I know that's hard for you. . . :D

(Horn, wave 'em in. Horn, wave 'em in. Horn, wave 'em in. . .)

For once, I agree with Dan. Great pictures on that site. Thanks, Camron.

Chuck -- Welcome home.