August 24, 79AD. Residents of Pompeii decide that moving out to the suburbs wasn't such a great idea after all.

On this date in 79 AD, Mt. Vesuvius came out with a strong statement against suburban sprawl by erupting and burying the town of Pompeii.

This was just fine by most residents of the suburban enclave, who had already come to regret trading in a convenient apartment in Rome for a  pre-fab McMansion with a built-in plunge pool and a nice view of an active volcano.

It was a bad idea from the start. The commute was lousy. All their free time was spent taking care of a lawn they didn't really want in the first place. And the only restaurant in town was an Olive Garden. This last point bears repeating. An Olive Garden -- in Italy. This wasn't a cataclysm. This was a mercy killing.