Big Hill Go Boom

The Mount Merapi volcano in Indonesia has been showing increased levels of activity, and scientists fear it may be nearing a major eruption. Should that happen, searing clouds of hot gas and debris will race down the mountainside and destroy everything in its path.

Most residents of threatened villages have heeded the government's advice and fled. Nonetheless, there are some who have stayed behind and taken a unique approach to the danger:

In one of the nearby villages, hundreds of people lit incense and set rice, fruit and vegetables floating down a river in a ceremony they believed would appease the spirits and prevent an eruption.

Sounds like they've been listening to one of Bush's "science" advisors.