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"they would warm up when you shake them" That's insane. I can't believe no one was slightly concerned about this.

• mikeash 12y ago
  Indeed. It would hardly be more clear if a little flag popped out reading "I am still dangerous." I wonder what sort of misunderstanding causes a person to think this is reasonable.
  • stewartbutler 12y ago
    It struck me as ridiculous when I heard the story, but I can somewhat see how it happens -- first, civil-war era means that it is /old/, which makes it seem less dangerous unless you know about the age->instability relationship with explosives; second, it looks like an inert ball of iron, so there is nothing that really screams 'hazardous' to an uneducated viewer.
    • mikeash 12y ago
      I can understand thinking that it's inert and safe initially, but the fact that it warms up when shaking it conclusively disproves that idea.