Happy Fourth of July!
Celebrations like these are not complete without the fireworks. But are your fireworks safe, free of defects?
You wouldn’t want to imagine what could happen if you get defective fireworks.
In the same breath, I’m worried about the quality of blasting that students are making at University of Missouri-Rolla. Yesterday, I read on NYTimes Online about the summer camp activity that Rolla engineering school offers to students. They even call it “Summer Explosives Camp.” Here’s the drill:
Students with a passion for all things explosive and proof of United States citizenship pay a $450 fee that covers food, lodging and incidentals like dynamite. In the course of a week, the 22 students at this session set off a wall of fire, blasted water out of a pond, blew up a tree stump and obliterated a watermelon. They set off explosive charges in the school’s mine and finished off the week by creating their own fireworks show for their parents. Read more…
I’m sure the thrill of blasting and being able to blast off a wall will attract a lot of students. I just hope that their gadgets or materials are foolproof. Better yet, I hope their program undergoes Six Sigma. 
