Best Sign Ever!

To be found in the surrounding area of Mount Rainier



Worth moving to Pierce County, Washington for this alone!

Vesuvius Postcard

I feel I've been a bit like Mauna Loa with my blogging this week and by that I mean constantly active not the largest volcano on earth.
This lovely Vesuvius postcard is from the bookshop Bernard J Shapero which just specialises in rare books, maps and antiquarian prints, nothing actually volcano related. But it is a pretty picture of Campi Phlegraei, Naples by Sir William Hamilton.

Archive Issue 1995

This is the publications first complete surviving issue of Volcano Club Magazine, sadly unable to produce one page in its full colour. While amazing biscuits I'm not too sure what cheddars have to do with volcanoes. If anyone can read the alien cartoon thingy it would be much appreciated. You can't write to me at that address (I don't live there anymore). But you can make posters, badges and whatever the hell that other thing is.

Volcano of the Week #4- Mauna Loa

I'm considering changing the name of this feature to Volcano of the Whenever I Can Be Bothered to Write a Blog Post, however it doesn't have the same ring.




Mauna Loa is the largest volcano on Earth, it is situated on Hawaii's Big Island, the name means Long Mountain, which is apt as it covers a colossal 75,000 cubic kilometres. Hawaiis Big Island is also home to four other volcanoes making up the Hawaii hotspot. Neither the height or violence of eruptions are remarkable features about Mauna Loa. The volcano is constantly active and frequently has lava flows and fountains which is typical of the Hawaiian style of eruption. The first recorded eruption was in 1832 and there have currently been no eruptions since 1984, which makes this the longest period of inactivity in recorded history. Eruptions occur at both the crater (Mokuʻāweoweo) and rift zones, volcanic activity switches between the two in a cycle which lasts about two thousand years. Mauna Loa is one of 16 decade volcanoes, volcanoes that are thought to be worthy of special study and monitoring due to the proximity to civilisations and eruptive history.

Amazing Volcano Handkerchief

The Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester currently has an excellent Outsider Art with works from the Musgrave Kinley Collection. Outsider Art is one of the coolest things in the world (ask Jarvis Cocker if you don't believe me) and while everything in the exhibition was brilliant but I think I pretty much screamed on seeing this beautiful knitted handkerchief, the subject matter is naturally a volcano.

It's made by Marie-Rose Lortet who specialises in these thread architectures. Having worked in a French couture house and drawing from her mother and grandmothers knitting skills, her other work includes crazy and beautiful structures, clothing and people.

Volcano puns

Everyone loves a good pun, almost as much as I enjoy making them up. These are some recent ones with help from Hadrian and Emma.

What's a volcano's favourite Prince song?

I wanna be your lava.

What's a volcano's favourite Spice Girls song?

If you wanna be my lava.

(for people more familiar with the Spice Girls than Prince, though I don't think anyone should be associating with these people)

What's a volcano's favourite Frank Sinatra album?

Songs for swingin' lavas

Who's a volcano's favourite band?

The Modern Lavas

(maybe just judge your audience and only tell one joke on the lover/lava theme)

Who's a volcanoes favourite singer?

Johnny Ash

(from Emma aka Cake-atoa, she good as baking but not so much at the jokes)

What's a volcanoes favourite historical document?

The Magma Carte

Who's a volcanoes favourite presenter?

Magmus Magmassen

What did the man say when he was asked what he thought of ceremonies?

Pomp, eh?

What does a volcano do when it wants food for a party?

Orders a cratering company.

How do rodents travel in the water?

vole canoe

re-reading this post, I'm actually very sorry for its contents...

CYNDI!

I been trying to work out why I love Cyndi Lauper quite so much and I think that apart from the fact that she's absolutely amazing it's in no small part because her hair resembles an erupting volcano. You can also do the brilliant patented whip off of your hat to recreate an actual eruption, seen in this iconic video for Time After Time and also the equally excellent When You Were Mine. So for the ultimate volcano fancy dress look to Cyndi (and for many other style and life lessons).





Cyndi- I love you

Volcano of the Week #3 - Krakatoa

Krakatoa is an Indonesian volcanic island, the origin of the name is probably to do with crabs and lobsters (which I know a GREAT joke about, but really it's a visual thing). The name also lends its self to the volcano and group of islands, which includes Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatoa) which arose in August 1930.

The largest and best known eruption from this volcano, situated in the pacific Ring of Fire was the 1883 eruption (VEI= 6). The climatic phase of the eruption took place on 27 August, it was so large that the effects are said to be have been heard and felt in Australia. The climax consisted of four huge eruptions, each causing large tsunamis. The Burning Ashes of Ketimbang killed around 1000 people in Sumatra. The 3,000 population at the island of Sebesi, 13km from Krakatoa, was completely wiped out; this was due to tsunamis, pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash. Ships in South Africa are said to have been rocked by tsunamis and hit by the bodies of victims. The official death toll is 36,417, however it may be three times as high. The island's size is much reduced following this eruption.



This eruption had wide global effects including a drop in temperatures and a darker sky for years afterwards. Edvard Munch's The Scream is thought to be a reaction to the effects of the volcano which caused red skies instilling a sense of intense fear from the artist.



This is post slightly late, but I have just moved house, should be a new magazine issue in within a few weeks.