flying burning pianos (OT)

[Tvak@AOL.COM]

I was channel-surfing Sunday night and came across a show called SEEING IS 
BELIEVING.  One of the segments highlighted the activities of Hugh Wheeler 
from Shropshire, England.  A rich, retired gentleman with time on his hands, 
Hugh decided to build a Trebuchet, which is a medieval weapon, sort of like a 
catapult.  This trebuchet was about 3 stories tall, and was able to hurl cars 
in the air.  Hugh loaded a vertical piano onto the thing, strapped a 
container of gasoline to the piano, doused it and set it on fire, and 
launched it a distance of about 2 or 3 city blocks.  The sight of the burning 
piano flying through the air was priceless, as was the explosion when it hit 
the ground.  Unfortunately the sound of the explosion masked the sound of the 
harp breaking apart, the strings snapping, etc., all of which I would like to 
have heard.

Who among us couldn't comprise a list of pianos that we've serviced in the 
past which would benefit from such treatment?  (See thread entitled "Re:Betsy 
Ross".)

Tom Sivak