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Beth is Gonna Kill me for mentioning this...

By Dusty (AKA Attila of Argghhh!) on December 1, 2005 | | Comments (14)

Yo! John! Check this out.

Objective: The roof of the Eisenhower Building. Heh.

MWAAAHAHAHA!!!

HT: Instapundit


Update: Larry's comment needs to be up here!

The big gun of vegetable artillery -- the pumpkin cannon:

Pumpkin Cannon!


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14 Comments

By Cricket on December 1, 2005 7:23 AM
That book is the best! A must have in raising boys and Cain. Our copy is well thumbed and used. The neighborhood boys all come over when we put the word out we are making kewl stuff, but the favorite is the spud cannon. Even the parents love the book. Ever make a water rocket?
 
By Fred on December 1, 2005 7:34 AM
Thankfully, no one has mentioned pumpkin cannons. Who knows where that would lead with this bunch.
 
By AFSister on December 1, 2005 7:35 AM
Cricket- Are you for real on your endorsement for this book? I'm not snarking you- I'm seriously interested in your answer. This is stuff my boys would probably get a huge kick out of, but not if it's too destructive. Is that even possible? "Gee... I think I'll build a cannon that's NOT destructive!" OK... I'll shut up now and go back to moron lurking mode.
 
By Neffi on December 1, 2005 7:42 AM
Oh! I gotta get me that! ...after I check the 'exclusions' section of my health-care coverage...
 
By John of Argghhh! on December 1, 2005 7:46 AM
Heh, Dbie, the cannons aren't destructive - it's the person *aiming* them. Repeat after me: "Cannons don't kill people and break things, People kill people and break things." Snerk!
 
By Bad Cat Robot on December 1, 2005 9:07 AM
Besides, speaking as a one-time physics instructor -- one way you can get the little darlings to pay attention to the equations of motion is if you mention they are *also* used in blowing things up with cannon. Educational!
 
By Cricket on December 1, 2005 9:26 AM
I highly recommend it. I have four kids who love to get a bang out of it. Since I homeschool, I like to have great stuff to not only keep their interest, but to have them comment on why it works. It really does help their minds grow. I didn't like it when chemistry sets got safer. I could see the point, but dumbed down science does more harm than good, and the ballistics book gives you the real thing with household items. We made a smoke bomb and set it off on Fort Lewis. Memo to me: Never test this stuff on a military base. It works. heh. One other point and if I am incorrect, I know someone will take me to task here, so correct away. Chemical warfare has been around since Genghis Khan's time, when he invaded China. The Chinese were already using smoke screens and some biological weapons. Even though it didn't stop the Mongols, it was used to great effect. I also have to note something here, and iffen this makes Beth's and John's heads swell, oh well. I read military blogs for more than news updates. I read them to learn about weapons, sciences, the fiddly bits and what the pros can tell in layman's terms. To me, the internet has not only helped me get a better education, I have been able to interact in a way that I could not in a classroom. So, have fun with your book!
 
By April on December 1, 2005 10:05 AM
Cool. I can't wait to give that to some kids. Their parents (including my ex-husband) are really gonna be pissed!
 
By Jon The Mechanic on December 1, 2005 10:56 AM
BOOM!!!! Heheheheheheheheheeeee!!!
 
By Neffi on December 1, 2005 12:34 PM
uhoh- Borders had it in stock... now we gonna have some fun!
 
By Larry on December 1, 2005 12:59 PM
The big gun of vegetable artillery -- the pumpkin cannon: http://www.aintalltherepumpkincannon.com/videos/index.htm
 
By Sgt. B. on December 1, 2005 1:35 PM
TEAM! GUN! ELEVATION DEFLECTION 48 LEFT 300 WITH A SPAULDING TENNIS BALL CHARGE 4 (4 squirts of WD-40) AT MY COMMAND FIRE! ... ... Oh $h*t! It went through the window of the Fure Department! Every man for himself! Uh-oh, there's Chief Riggs, and he looks really tourqued! (Meanwhile, from a nearby house) Delores, your peach cobbler is absolutely devine. Thank you Madge! It's Johnny's favorite... Johnny's in school right? Of course! Why? I just saw a group of boys running pell-mell down the street... Oh, wait a minute, those aren't boys, that was Jack! Jack? MY husband Jack? I wonder what he's doing...
 
By Justthisguy on December 3, 2005 8:49 PM
I heartily recommend the book to small boys of all ages. When I saw it in B&N a coupla years ago, I immediately bought it. Had a friend demonstrate the newspaper-page fire kite about 20 yrs ago- way cool. Of course we all made the match rockets when kids, but this book helps systematize the process. I particularly like the part about the ballistic pendulum. Teaches folks how to use instruments, and infer one thing from another, etc. A Sad Note: I think everything described in the book is against the law in the "town" in which I live. (Think of the underground town in "A Boy and his Dog".)
 
By John of Argghhh! on December 4, 2005 8:06 AM
That town was in Kansas, I think, too! I also like the part where the dog is drilling the boy on his Presidents and it went something like Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Kennedy, Kennedy, Kennedy...
 
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