Reminds me the last Mythbuster I saw on TV. They were trying to extinguish a fire by blowing it with an explosive. Depending on the type of explosive (detonating or deflagrating, don't know the difference), this either made a mega fireball, or it indeed extinguished the fire.

> Actually, most explosives don't go off that easily. Depending on the explosive, it takes a lot of energy to set them off. The energy can be heat, or empact, or many other forms of energy. Many explosives will burn peacefully in the open air, and will only explode if burned in an enclosed space, such as a bomb casing or the breech of a gun. Impact can be applied by a blasting cap, or a primer, but the force of a thrown shoe is not usually enough to do the job.
>
> Don't try this at home. I could be an expert or a crackpot. You don't have any way of knowing.
> Howard
>
> > > I saw on the news that the shoes thrown at the president were destroyed as they were being inspected for explosives. Too bad. Just think what they would have brought on eBay!
> > > Howard
> >
> > Surely, if they'd contained explosives, they'd never have had the chance to search them...