Random Thoughts on Vulcanism, Terrorism, and Pliny the Elder

We have said we got three major al-Qa‘ida figures in Iraq — the two top leaders of Al-Qa‘ida in the Land of the Two Rivers, and another senior honcho — but all our efforts in Iraq, however costly in irreplaceable human lives, have not cost the West financially as much as a bunch of Icelandic magma has.

Radical groups can kill people, but volcanoes, however few fatalities they may cause, can do a hell of a lot more destruction.

Oh, and while I'm erupting a little here, did you know that volcanologists or whatever they're called have a term "Plinian" derived from the fact that Pliny the Elder died in that Pompeii unpleasantness a while back? Neither did I, but since I doubt that many non-Latin-students read The Natural History today, I thought I'd mention it.