A New Day,

Yesterday we looked back.,Today we look forward.

 In these five simple characters is an entire universe of information. But, we are going to focus on the enormous destructive implications. Energy equals Mass times the Speed of Light squared. Light travels at 186,000 miles a second, square that number and you have something indescribable to a layperson.  Working backward it becomes obvious that it doesn’t take much mass to create a lot of energy.

Burning a 5 pound piece of wood would yield, if you could capture the energy given off as heat, light and the gasses in the smoke, five pounds. A simple chemical conversion, fuel turned to energy, E=m. Even a chemical explosion is governed by the same laws. In the explosion the energy is just released very quickly. A chemical reaction can only yield as much energy as the mass involved. It is the release of the atom that changes everything. 


There is a tremendous amount of energy holding atoms together. The building blocks of the  universe. Breaking the nuclei apart or forcing them together (fission, or fusion) releases energies on an enormous scale, the power of time and space. 

At the center of a nuclear explosion temperatures can reach 100,000,000° Celsius, the same as the center of the sun.  Within seven-tenths of one millisecond from the detonation, the fireball from a 1-megaton weapon is about 440 feet across, and this increases to 5,700 feet in 10 seconds.

Shock waves travel out, smashing buildings, trees, crushing people, turning the area into finely shredded kindling. Soon the entire area is burning. Dust from the blast combine with smoke and soot from the resulting fires and rise into the atmosphere. 

Since the infrastructure has been destroyed, most of the population killed and those unfortunate survivors are being painfully consumed by radiation poisoning there is no hope of containing the fires. So, they grow, and consume everything in their path.

Before long the clouds block the sun’s rays and the temperature begins to Plummet. Computer models suggest it could remain below freezing for over six months. Fortunately, we have yet to test the accuracy of the predictions.  But, even if they prove to be less drastic, and we can only hope we don't find out, the radiation and prolonged cold and dark would interfere with photosynthesis killing much of the food crop.

Before long many of the plants and animals would die. Following closely are the already weakened survivors who are battling exposure, at least some radiation poisoning and starvation. And those are the “lucky” ones who weren’t close enough to be killed instantly. There will be no survivors, not really. Even if a person lasted through that would they still be human in any way except shape?

When you consider the end does it really matter who fired first, or who was “right?” Probably not. But, those in charge still assume they have the right to make that decision. I'm not so sure. So, I am starting a movement, #MakeAmericaDeadAgain. Join me, together we can make a difference. You don't have to be a Grateful Dead fan to join, but it would give us something pleasant to talk about when the apocalypse gets too heavy.

Our quote for today comes from Mohamed ElBaradei

"I think one country with nuclear weapons is one country too many."

Extremes and Humanity, It Never Changes.

"Not one of them has the least thing to blame himself for. Not one has any guilt. One might believe that everything was for the best, even though a few million men lie under the ground. ...and the end and aim of it all is to have the war over again, the next war that draws nearer and nearer, and it will be a good deal more horrible than the last. All that is perfectly clear and simple. Any one could comprehend it and reach the same conclusion after a moment's reflection. But nobody wants to. Nobody wants to avoid the next war, nobody wants to spare himself and his children the next holocaust if this be the cost. To reflect for one moment, to examine himself for a while and ask what share he has in the world's confusion and wickedness—look you, nobody wants to do that. And so there's no stopping it, and the next war is being pushed on with enthusiasm by thousands upon thousands day by day."

From ; Steppenwolf, by Herman Hesse

It Gets Worse

The quote above was from a passage where Harry Haller was explaining to the lovely and mysterious Hermine why he was so universally despised. Since the novel was published in 1927 it is safe to assume he was making a reference to World War I and World War II. And he was certainly accurate. It was much worse, for everybody.

Hesse was an intellectual with a keen grasp of human frailty, and the undeniable thirst for the absolute. And certainly, being a European he understood the way wars could grow beyond any relation to the origin.

It Always Gets Worse

Take, for example, the Thirty Year War. Brought to you by competing faiths. Catholics and Protestants who were intent on destroying each other, or at least claiming victory and thereby proving
that God, did, indeed like them best.  But, when it was done churning over the nation of Germany at least 20 percent of the population had perished. Civilian casualties would not be matched until World War II. Unspeakable atrocities had been common. It was an awful chapter in the history of man.

But, it was a long time ago, we have learned so much.

What happens if we change the labels. Let's start with a classic, something older, less fashionable, but still relevant, Capitalist and Socialist. If you are in the mood for something more current and in vogue you can choose Christian and Muslim. Patterns expose themselves, nothing ever changes. We pretend that it is new, and important, but it is only the same movie with new actors. To quote Bob Dylan, "The game is the same, it's just on a different level."

Imagine what Harry Haller would say about this. Maybe his words are just as good today.

And A Quote To End

Today we are going to close with something from Albert Einstein.
“I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.”

#MakeAmericaDeadAgain.

One Small Step For Mankind.

Humanity is a remarkable organism, we have the frightening ability to ignore reality and convince ourselves that somehow what we are doing is important.  Even though a glance in the newspaper, (if you can find one) or the evening news will offer ample proof that the world is on the brink of self immolation, and everyday we don't try to apply some resistance, and slow the process, it gains momentum.

Americans are more divided than at any time I can remember, and I grew up during the Vietnam war, and the Watergate scandal.  We are mired in the mud, and sinking lower by the day.  All while the world is spinning toward inferno and nobody seems to notice.

Everyday we slide closer and closer to the end, and we blithely, joyfully ignore the impending doom.  Somehow we have convinced ourselves that we are just carrying on in the tradition of our ancestors, and maybe we are.  But, we are not our ancestors, we are well adapted citizens of the 21st century with technology that would mystify previous generations.

This technology is here to stay, we can not put that genie back in the bottle (and nobody wants to), but we could use it to slow our descent, to reverse the prejudices and hate, to call attention to our similarities and our shared traits.  No matter what you believe, no matter your theological bent, no matter your views on evolution, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, we all seem to accept that the event, or being that gave us life, did the same for everybody, and we all share common origins.  Since the beginning we have been drifting apart.

As we celebrate our anger over our distance, and dissimilarities, there is one man, a blogger, video maker, father, family man, who has an idea, a first step in bringing the Earth's inhabitants a little closer.  +Mike Raven , architect of The Traveling Book Project has decided, almost by himself, to start people travelling the road to understanding.

He is going to assemble a number of notebooks, and write something personal, about himself and his life, in each, including a few photos, and send them on a mission of healing and understanding.  He hopes that people will fill in a few pages about themselves and their lives, and forward them to others.  Until they find their way back to him.  He will scan them and make all of the information available online.

Is this going to solve all of the problems we have managed to create, or end bigotry and hatred?  Probably not.  But, imagine, for a minute, if the "leaders" of the world, and the governments that inform and influence their countries would take a step like this, make a small effort to understand, and appreciate each other, imagine what could happen.  Imagine if we could step back from the stereotypes, and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, all of us.  It is almost frightening, isn't it?

Can we change the inevitable?  Can we be the generation that begins the healing?  I hope so, I have kids, and want to leave them something.  One thing is almost certain, we can not leave it to the people in charge, we need to rely on individuals who are willing, and able to try something different.  People like Mike Raven.

Thank you, Mike, it is a wonderful thing you are doing.