I had this nagging feeling yesterday that I couldn't quite figure out... like I was forgetting something and I couldn't, for the very life of me, put my finger on it. Then... this morning: POW! It hit me. So, better late than never... here's a re-run from last year.
Hiroshima Day… 62 63 (ed: updated for 2008) years ago today. Click for larger to see the August 7th front page of the NYT. And now…a non-politically-correct war story, of sorts. (Full disclosure: originally left as a comment at SJS’ Place.)
As most of you frequent readers know, the last company I worked for was a small IT start-up in SFO, staffed primarily by stereotypical flaming, politically-correct SFO liberals, and I do NOT jest. By my count there were three conservatives in the whole company, which, at its high-water mark, had a total of 300+ folks.
Anyway...
We got the usual complement of Federal and State holidays, five sick days, and one "Diversity Day," which one could use to celebrate an occasion of personal importance.
But you had to designate the day in advance.
I informed my superiors that I intended to take August 6
th as my "DD."
When asked what the occasion was... I replied "Hiroshima Day.
It's a celebration of American Power."
And I
did take it, too, to the delight of the other two conservatives and the shock of the PC Brigade. Speaking of which (the PC-Brigade), I suppose I confirmed their cherished and heart-felt views about Rethuglicans. Not that I give a shit.
So... back to the present. One of the downsides of not working is the fact you lose track of time, in the calendar sense. I need to work on that.
As most of you frequent readers know, the last company I worked for was a small IT start-up in SFO, staffed primarily by stereotypical flaming, politically-correct SFO liberals, and I do NOT jest. By my count there were three conservatives in the whole company, which, at its high-water mark, had a total of 300+ folks. 
"Hiroshima Day." Brilliant. I met an old vet one time, who'd been trained and made ready for the invasion of Japan. He told me that many years post-Hiroshima, he met Paul Tibbets, and thanked him for saving his life.
ReplyDeleteDD...that is sweet. Did you drink excessive amounts of Asahi or Sapporo?
ReplyDeleteToby was looking over my shoulder when I pulled up the Hiroshima post. I told him about your taking Hiroshima Day as your diveristy day off. He got a kick out of that.
ReplyDeleteFontessa: Thanks for stopping by. Your acquaintance was correct... General Tibbets saved a lot of lives by dropping that bomb, American and Japanese lives. But I believe Harry Truman was the real hero in this space, along with the physicists (and others) who actually developed The Bomb.
ReplyDeleteJay: I don't remember exactly what I did that day, but it probably had a LOT to do with sleeping. Those were crazy days, work-wise, in that we were putting in 12-hour days, every day... at the very least, and most often longer. Life at a start-up is crazy.
Lou: I'm glad I could give Toby a smile!
Would I be non-PC if I was to ask....who is next US or Iran? Of course I hope we never have to use it or get it(Nuked), but somewhere down the road, I see it happening, and it will make Japan 1945 look like small potatoes.
ReplyDeletePat: It might could be Israel, either as attacker or attackee. But, yeah... Iran will be involved in the next nuclear event, one way or another. I don't think we'd ever contemplate "first use," ever again.
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