4150 years, with a margin of error of 300 years plus or minus, is based on radiocarbon dating of wood buried beneath the ejecta. I'm certainly not qualified to challenge that finding. Are you?
RID isn't/wasn't a self-inflicted wound. It was imposed on us, probably because enough of us with rather exotic new gadgets annoyed enough other people (especially those with overriding concerns about privacy) to ring alarm bells. That's also...
If you were concerned about personal privacy, you wouldn't be posting on this or any other site on the internet. Every one of your keystrokes is being recorded and stored. Every single one. And by the way, it isn't the government who's doing...
Our local weather gurus have been warning us that, owing to persistent drought, we should expect more brown and less gold in this year's display of autumn color. They're mistaken. The aspens are as much aglow as they've always been.