Remembering a lesson of history.

42250 is today's number. What, you STILL haven't guessed? Even with the clues I've given? What are you, ninnies?

64 years ago, Robert Oppenheimer uttered a quote from a buddhist text, and in doing so ushered in an era of fear and panic. "Today, I am become death, destroyer of worlds." While the fear and panic are essentially gone after 64 years, the horror of this simple statement remains. 64 years ago today, the city of Hiroshima, Japan, was hit by a single bomb, an explosive device with the destructive power of 20,000 pounds of T.N.T.
The city was immediately obliterated. An estimated 60000-80000 lives were snuffed out in the blink of an eye. The temps at ground zero reached more than 7900 degrees Fahrenheit. A shock wave traveled for miles, and the heat traveled igniting everything in its path. Aside from a few buildings that somehow remained standing, and some burned out stumps, everything was gone. There were not even any bodies to bury for miles around the target.

One atom bomb, small by today's standard of Multi-Megaton bombs. A sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, which resulted in destruction on an umimaginable scale at that time, had now been dwarfed by a single bomb. It was the ultimate payback, an eye for an eye. A life for a life. The war had gone on for 6 years. I don't believe anyone could have imagined such a classic horror finish for any movie at that time. But "Little Boy" wasn't going to have the final word. The massive destruction on an unprecedented scale wasn't enough to convince Japan's Government that the war was over. They delayed their surrender. And they were hit again, harder. It was enough.

In opera, they say it's not over until the fat lady sings. Well, the "Fat Man" sang, with devasting effect.

In the years since 1945, no country has ever used a nuclear weapon in wartime. There was Korea. There was Viet Nam. There was Saddam, act I and II. The world has been at war again since 2001. (The attack against NYC.)

The nuclear club has expanded to include India, Pakistan, North Korea, Russia, Israel, China, France, and the U.K. Iran is trying to crash the club. If they do, you can expect an escalation of fear. But, for the time being, no country is trying to use the Nuclear Stick. Hopefully, they all realize the scenario that would follow. Maybe they all have some sanity when it comes to nuclear weapons. If only the people had the same sanity when it comes to war. War is likely to exist for all time. Let's pray that the Nuclear Chapter is closed. The alternative is utter destruction. We should all pray that nobody will ever be THAT mad... As I see it.