For the sixtyfourth time....

Reflections on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Our World

by Frida Berrigan

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/08/04

The Death Count

In Hiroshima, Little Boy's huge fireball and explosion killed 70,000 to 80,000 people instantly. Another 70,000 were seriously injured. As Joseph Siracusa, author of Nuclear Weapons: A Very Short Introduction, writes: "In one terrible moment, 60% of Hiroshima... was destroyed. The blast temperature was estimated to reach over a million degrees Celsius, which ignited the surrounding air, forming a fireball some 840 feet in diameter."

Three days later, Fat Man exploded 1,840 feet above Nagasaki, with the force of 22,000 tons of TNT. According to "Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered," a web resource on the bombings developed for young people and educators, 286,000 people lived in Nagasaki before the bomb was dropped; 74,000 of them were killed instantly and another 75,000 were seriously injured.

Electricity

We produce electricity and supply it to the grid. (and at the times we don't produce from our photovoltaic cells, the grid supplies to us.)

Some of the details are on my web site at http://members.pcug.org.au/~lindafrd/

The company (Country Energy) charges a service availability charge which means that we need to produce nearly 4 Kilowatts every day to pay that cost. Then of course we need to produce enough to pay for the appliances that we use. Since our usage is close to 4 KWs, an average production of 8 KWs will be our break even point. (which means "free electricity"). More than that and we become producers and actually get paid! :-)

so, yes, we are producers; but it is a fine line. (average production is 8.37KW over the year says Fred.)

Speaking differently into this world:

A sermon from Jeremy Pemberton ...about the Archbishop of Canterbury's Reflection on General Convention. Preached in Southwell Minster on Sunday 2nd August 2009. The full sermon is found on the Changing Attitude blog at http://changingattitude-england.blogspot.com/2009/08/sermon-preached-last-sunday-in.html
Will it ever be "possible for the church to find a way to speak differently into this world"? The sermon concludes:

"Paul wanted an extraordinary quality of relationship – a unity that transcended their differences – to characterise the way the Christians of Ephesus grew together. No one is imagining, certainly not him, that this was easy. Forbearance is one of the qualities he singles out to achieve this, and humility and gentleness. We face a world of sexual living that is very very different to the world of fifty years ago. I wonder if it would be possible for the church to find a way to speak differently into this world and encourage the qualities of living that will lead people, heterosexual and homosexual alike, towards the fullness of life that God wants for them. But that is, perhaps, only possible if we exercise a forbearance, a gentleness and a humility that so far the official pronouncements of our church have been unable to get anywhere near.

Jesus said, in everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matt 7:12

May God give us grace to exercise gentleness and forbearance, and to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us. Amen."

another gay hate crime?

The Independent reports on the Tel Aviv shootings
http://trc1.emv2.com/HS?a=A9X7CqnkUzEk8Xnaxq18U_7iaA

Nir Katz remembered as a caring volunteer.
The 26yr old killed in the Tel Aviv shooting on the weekend was volunteering at the youth club which had been targeted by the gunman.
I post these links because the news here in Australia didn't even identify the club as a youth club. The other victim (Liz Tarabushi) was sixteen.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1104771.html

Ha'aretz has a lot of comment on this incident.
Police are following leads, and can't call it a hate crime. (The law can't do that. They have their job to do.)

Ian Thorpe beyond sport

A Eureka Street article:
http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=15360

Ian spoke at in the UK  at the Beyond Sport Summit in early July.

His speech (well worth a read) is on crikey.com
http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/23/ian-thorpe-australias-dirty-little-secret/

(Ian's foundation is
http://www.ianthorpesfountainforyouth.com.au/)

and a quick response to what he is saying might be to sign an open letter to visiting United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur, Professor James Anaya.
After his visit, he will be providing the UN Human Rights Council with a report on his assessment of human rights in Australia.
The Australian government will be expected to respond.
http://antar.cmail3.com/t/y/l/kjjla/hykujultd/j

The grace of salvation

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Katherine Jefferts Schori on grace and salvation.
(With thanks to Brian at http://www.nottoomuch.com/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IxG96wpx60&feature=player_embedded

It would seem that Bishop Katherine is avoiding the cobwebs and dust in the corridors of power!

Climate Action (sign the Climate petition)

This petition is to be submitted to Ban Ki Moon at the Copenhagen Summit in December 2009.

At
http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/

http://www.sealthedeal2009.org/petition/
The Climate Petition
"We the Peoples of the World Urge Political Leaders to:

Seal the Deal at COP 15 on a climate agreement that is definitive, equitable and effective.
Set binding targets to cut greenhouses gases by 2020.
Establish a framework that will bolster the climate resilience of vulnerable countries and protect lives and livelihoods
Support developing countries' adaptation efforts and secure climate justice for all."

(7,206 signatures so far)