From the NYT, by a Lebanese writer and translator. Good opinion piece. Emphasis mine.
"Lebanon has been pushed into a full blown economic collapse by the corruption and cronyism of the warlords and influential families who have commanded the seats of power in government since the end of our 15-year civil war in 1990. Our currency has devalued over 80 percent. Stories of destitution abound. Yet I couldnât imagine how spectacular and lethal the incompetence of the Lebanese state could be."
Maybe, just maybe, this is what it takes for real change. Not unlike the challenges the U.S. faces now - admittedly a whole different set of issues (or so I like to think). Generally speaking, things don't get better until after they get much, much worse. c.
I'm hearing that it was some old captured sodium nitrate. Just takes a little bit of water to set it off.
Freshman year, first semester, I had a buddy down the hall that would steal small amounts of solid sodium, slide it under someone's dorm room door, and then - after knocking to make sure it was noticed, pour water under the door to ignite the metal.
Good times.
I understand nitrogen triiodide is pretty fun, too. Although I deny having any first hand experience
Interesting ...
How do you make nitrogen triiodide?
Procedure. Working in a fume cupboard, wearing a face shield and nitrile gloves, use a pestle and mortar to grind 0.5 g of iodine crystals into a fine powder and transfer to a small beaker. To the iodine powder add approximately 4 ml of concentrated ammonia solution and stir briefly using a glass rod.
What a perfect thing to do on a sunny CV 19 lockdown afternoon.
I'm going to guess that you stir very briefly and then make sure not to sneeze.
...... Why it is not regulated better is a complete mystery. Gas stations, for one example, are required to have extensive leak prevention/detection systems, monitoring wells, etc. But the regulations on ammonium nitrate are either flimsy, unenforced or both. Sure, Lebanon's government is not exactly on top of things, but here in the US we have tons and tons of the stuff, lightly regulated if at all. c.
Lebanon is close to failed state status. The Lebanese might have played well with each other once upon a time but now they do not.
Unfortunately, Lebanese society was not strong enough to withstand the negative fall-out from the Israeli nuclear weapons anti-Semitic affirmative action ethnic-cleansing terrorism program. Americans can be proud of how they contributed to that process. But don't worry, we have lots of anti-Semitic ethnic-cleansing terrorists here in Canada too.
Latest info on Beirut is indeed ammonium nitrate. Around 2500 TONS of the stuff, seized(?) about six years ago and stored improperly. Basically a bomb with a slow fuse.
Texas City suffered an ammonium nitrate disaster in 1947 - about 400 people were killed, many bodies were never recovered. West, Texas had an explosion in 2013 that killed 15 people - most were first responders battling the initial blaze. China has had its share of accidents involving it, and it was used in the Oklahoma City bombing.
Why it is not regulated better is a complete mystery. Gas stations, for one example, are required to have extensive leak prevention/detection systems, monitoring wells, etc. But the regulations on ammonium nitrate are either flimsy, unenforced or both. Sure, Lebanon's government is not exactly on top of things, but here in the US we have tons and tons of the stuff, lightly regulated if at all. c.
I'm hearing that it was some old captured sodium nitrate. Just takes a little bit of water to set it off.
Freshman year, first semester, I had a buddy down the hall that would steal small amounts of solid sodium, slide it under someone's dorm room door, and then - after knocking to make sure it was noticed, pour water under the door to ignite the metal.
Good times.
I understand nitrogen triiodide is pretty fun, too. Although I deny having any first hand experience
I'm hearing that it was some old captured sodium nitrate. Just takes a little bit of water to set it off.
Freshman year, first semester, I had a buddy down the hall that would steal small amounts of solid sodium, slide it under someone's dorm room door, and then - after knocking to make sure it was noticed, pour water under the door to ignite the metal.
I'm hearing that it was some old captured sodium nitrate. Just takes a little bit of water to set it off.
Learned about the explosive properties of sodium back in the 70's for some unremembered reason.
Now kinda remembering ... It had to do with metals that can burn. There were some instances of commercial jets with bad tires that were blowing out on hard landings and the magnesium wheels were catching on fire from being scraped on the runway. What not to put these kinds of fires out with.
Sodium nitrate is different from sodium metal and can't be "set off" by water. The early reports are that it was ammonium nitrate used in fertilizers and explosives. Mixed with hydrocarbons like kerosene, it goes boom if something sets it off. It's relatively safe because it won't go off if you hit it with a hammer. I wouldn't recommend storing it with fireworks, but I'm no expert.
I'm hearing that it was some old captured sodium nitrate. Just takes a little bit of water to set it off.
Learned about the explosive properties of sodium back in the 70's for some unremembered reason.
Now kinda remembering ... It had to do with metals that can burn. There were some instances of commercial jets with bad tires that were blowing out on hard landings and the magnesium wheels were catching on fire from being scraped on the runway. What not to put these kinds of fires out with.
Sodium nitrate is different from sodium metal and can't be "set off" by water. The early reports are that it was ammonium nitrate used in fertilizers and explosives. Mixed with hydrocarbons like kerosene, it goes boom if something sets it off. It's relatively safe because it won't go off if you hit it with a hammer. I wouldn't recommend storing it with fireworks, but I'm no expert.
I'm hearing that it was some old captured sodium nitrate. Just takes a little bit of water to set it off.
Learned about the explosive properties of sodium back in the 70's for some unremembered reason.
Now kinda remembering ... It had to do with metals that can burn. There were some instances of commercial jets with bad tires that were blowing out on hard landings and the magnesium wheels were catching on fire from being scraped on the runway. What not to put these kinds of fires out with.
My first thought was ammo dump as well, but early reports are indicating fireworks which if you look at beginning of explosion you can see the flashes. Don't know if you remember the Mexico fireworks explosion, but if you have enough go off in an enclosed area it can be quite the explosion.
