Bigger IS better.

Growing tired of really weird leaders has naturally led me to examine extraordinarily large things that did not, or ever, work very well. There is a streak of callous curiousity that causes me to pour over tales of fast things blowing up, machines coming unglued when pushed to the limit and for the people who have no regard for any personal safety(theirs or others).

One such really big thing is something called the Czars Cannon. According to the Kremlin, it rests in the Armory and has never fired a shot. I did some poking on the Internet and managed to find a few facts: It was built in 1586, weighed 85000 pounds, had a 36 inch bore and apparently shot, what else, 2000 pound boulders.(what were they going to shoot at anyway back then?) . These boulders were actually rounded off and cut by stone masons to resemble traditional cast shot. As much rounding off as they could effect never compensated for the stones being insanely out of balance. Nor could they ever know if the shot would turn to gravel when fired and coat the near countryside with a ton of red hot dust and pebbels.

Not to worry, they never fired it. Apparently it was scary enough just sitting there.

One big boomstick that was fired was the Scottish Mons Meg. It was puny compared to the Moscow Mortar. It had a 19.5 inch caliber and it too fired big rocks. Can't imagine it was quick to load or easy to aim, but I guess it didn't matter. With kilts waving and sparks, flame and thunder screeching across the skies, the Scots had the media war on their side. It blew up during ceremonial firing and was never used again.