The Frangible Nuts

In rocket science (what the hell? I forget the proper term. Celestio-avionics? monsterphallusology? rocketry?) we use a little something called "pyrotechnic fasteners". These are devices that "fasten" until they "pyrotech" (the uneducated say "explode" or "essplode" - neither is correct).

Kubrick calls them explosive bolts. For technical reasons (as well as testical) I insist that they be called by their real name - Frangible Nuts.

Believe it or not, I actually had a good reason for starting this post, blog. Something about Gus Grissom, and how he didn't really blow the hatch off of his Liberty Bell space ship, even though he got blamed for it. And about how the explosive nuts blew prematurely (see why I got sidetracked?), and about how the explosion almost drowned him (!!). And then how NASA, in a tragic display of overcompensation, did away with the bolts, indirectly leading to Grissom's death in an oxygen fire.

Harrumph. Maybe I'll write something bout Professional Wrestling instead.