# Explosives Camp? Why the HELL Didn't They Have This When I Was a Kid? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 20, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783 "2007-06-20T23:10:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/1 "2007-06-20T23:10:23Z")
[A week in the middle of BFE, blowing shit up!](http://news.umr.edu/news/2007/explosivescamp07.html) > [@](#): > > Campers also shoot dynamite, learn about detonators and set up fireworks displays. The activities are supervised by professionals like Worsey, who has been known to blow up frozen chickens in order to demonstrate the power of explosives. I always _knew_ I was born too soon. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/2 "2007-06-20T23:28:00Z")
_Those who will attend the 2007 sessions are all U.S. citizens who are at least 17 years old and have expressed an interest in enrolling at UMR. The cost of the camp, including room, board and field trips, is $450._ Honey? I know what I want for Christmas! I qualify, I do. Sounds like summers on the farm, except with professionals instead of my uncle George. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/3 "2007-06-20T23:33:12Z")
I’m betting I can convince my company to send me to that next year… if I can’t, I should at least be able to write it off on my taxes. I’ve been looking for something like that class for a while now. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/4 "2007-06-20T23:39:32Z")
It sounds a lot like the mini-course-version of my master degree studies (engineering mechanics, explosives specialization). It actually sounds almost identical to the pyrotechnics class I took this spring, including the hands on part (although we were only at Sandia National Labs for one full day). It seems odd that they mention UMR is the only school that offers a minor in explosives, since NMT offers a master degree. And, FWIW, plans to introduce an undergrad explosives minor in the next course catalog. ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/5 "2007-06-20T23:41:32Z")
I lived in Rolla for two years. While I am quite fond of the little town, parts of it could do with a good explosion. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/6 "2007-06-20T23:53:53Z")
Feh. I’ve _finally_ got a slot to EOD school. These minors will pale in comparison to real miners. Tripler That’s all I’ve got to say about this blasted subject. ---
**Author:** ![Zambini57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4491bb/32.png) [@Zambini57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zambini57)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/7 "2007-06-21T00:01:32Z")
Sounds like someone has learned an easy way to make a few bucks while teaching nothing of practical use. Maybe I’ll start a school to teach 8th graders how to spray machine-gun bullets around. And I’ll give it a fancy name like “Ballistic/Trajectory Engineeering From Single-Point Origin”, or something like that. Should rake 'em in. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/8 "2007-06-21T00:10:48Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] Sounds like someone has learned an easy way to make a few bucks while teaching nothing of practical use. Maybe I’ll start a school to teach 8th graders how to spray machine-gun bullets around. And I’ll give it a fancy name like “Ballistic/Trajectory Engineeering From Single-Point Origin”, or something like that. Should rake 'em in. [/QUOTE] Yeah, you’re right! Energetic materials have absolutely no practical use whatsoever. Know anybody who’s had their life saved by an airbag? That’s a pyrotechnic. Every used a safety match? Ditto. Enjoyed a firework display? I bet you’ve never used anything made from iron (steel), used electricity generated in a coal-fired power plant, or any other natural resource that must be mined, either. There is, in fact, a course similar to “Ballistic/Trajectory Engineering”, several, in fact. Orbital mechanics comes to mind immediately, I could think of others. Just because the mass media portrays energetic materials, 99% of the time, as tools of terrorism, does not mean that there is no practical uses available that benefit society and spawn interest in engineering in those who otherwise may have chosen a different, less rewarding (for them) career path. ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/9 "2007-06-21T00:18:32Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] Sounds like someone has learned an easy way to make a few bucks while teaching nothing of practical use. [/QUOTE] Unlike the fencing camp I saw on campus last week? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/10 "2007-06-21T00:23:36Z")
Fencing teaches coordination, grace and balance. That’s why a number of ballet students take classes in it. Besides, sword-fighting, like explosives, is fun! Why does everything have to have a practical purpose? Spitting for distance isn’t a really crucial job skill for most people, but I sure had fun learning how to do it. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/11 "2007-06-21T00:27:43Z")
[QUOTE=hawksgirl] Unlike the fencing camp I saw on campus last week? [/QUOTE] A camp that put up fencing? 😕😕😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/12 "2007-06-21T00:32:36Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] \Spitting for distance isn’t a really crucial job skill for most people, but I sure had fun learning how to do it. [/QUOTE] And the watermelon is good, too! Explosives camp, eh? I think I know who their target market is. Do the graduates go on to intern at “Mythbusters?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/13 "2007-06-21T00:38:38Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] And the watermelon is good, too! Explosives camp, eh? I think I know who their target market is. Do the graduates go on to intern at “Mythbusters?” 😃 [/QUOTE] Sweet jesus! If that’s true, then I’ll take the class! Oh, my! [Kari](http://img.consumating.com/photos/15168/large/71823.jpg), here I come! ---
**Author:** ![Zambini57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4491bb/32.png) [@Zambini57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zambini57)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/14 "2007-06-21T00:52:12Z")
[QUOTE=Pygmy Rugger] Yeah, you’re right! Energetic materials have absolutely no practical use whatsoever. Know anybody who’s had their life saved by an airbag? That’s a pyrotechnic. Every used a safety match? Ditto. Enjoyed a firework display? I bet you’ve never used anything made from iron (steel), used electricity generated in a coal-fired power plant, or any other natural resource that must be mined, either. There is, in fact, a course similar to “Ballistic/Trajectory Engineering”, several, in fact. Orbital mechanics comes to mind immediately, I could think of others. Just because the mass media portrays energetic materials, 99% of the time, as tools of terrorism, does not mean that there is no practical uses available that benefit society and spawn interest in engineering in those who otherwise may have chosen a different, less rewarding (for them) career path. [/QUOTE] That’s right. And if someone wants to learn practical expertise in those fields, they go to college and take the applicable engineering courses. Not some half-assed summer camp. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/15 "2007-06-21T00:53:41Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] \Not some half-assed summer camp. [/QUOTE] They’re not half-assed until _after_ the class. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/16 "2007-06-21T00:55:21Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] Not some half-assed summer camp. [/QUOTE] You’re just jealous because you’re too old to go. ---
**Author:** ![Zambini57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4491bb/32.png) [@Zambini57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zambini57)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/17 "2007-06-21T01:05:18Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] You’re just jealous because you’re too old to go. [/QUOTE] Yeah, whatever. Get back to me when those JD’s put some C-4 in your mailbox, dummy. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/18 "2007-06-21T01:45:21Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] Get back to me when those JD’s put some C-4 in your mailbox, dummy. [/QUOTE] Why would lawyers bomb a mailbox? ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/19 "2007-06-21T01:46:25Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] That’s right. And if someone wants to learn practical expertise in those fields, they go to college and take the applicable engineering courses. Not some half-assed summer camp. [/QUOTE] When I was 16, I took a “half-assed summer camp” in materials engineering. When I was done with the class (and yes, 70% of the instruction time was lecture, 30% lab), I thought, “Holy shit, this engineering stuff is cool!” Had it not been for that class, I may not have pursued engineering. Although I did end up switching my major to mechanical, I strongly believe that week really influenced my academic choices. Note that the “camp” is offered by UMR (which happened to be a school I looked at based on their programs), and aside from the purely academic end, also gives students a taste of college life (staying in the dorms, eating crappy cafeteria food, etc.). Considering the academic end, though, one of the mini experiments we did concerned the melting point of lead-tin solders in different concentrations. I was interested enough to do my science fair project during my senior year of high school on metal alloys and eutectic points. IMHO, these week long courses certainly teach practical knowledge, if not necessarily “expertise”. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783/20 "2007-06-21T01:50:43Z")
[QUOTE=Zambini57] Yeah, whatever. Get back to me when those JD’s put some C-4 in your mailbox, dummy. [/QUOTE] :rolleyes: The class doesn’t teach you how to illegally obtain C4, nor how to make any IEDs. The JDs you speak of will most likely already know how to make IEDs, and will either not be motivated enough to enroll in the camp, or already know more malicious ends than the course will offer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explosives-camp-why-the-hell-didnt-they-have-this-when-i-was-a-kid/408783.md?page=2)