most people i know have never heard an air raid siren go off in their neighbourhood. i've heard the same air raid siren go off on the same morning at the same time for four years and it never ceases to scare the shit out of me.
this morning at 8:15 the air raid siren went off in memorial of the first atomic bomb ever dropped on humanity.
my stomach sank as i heard it, trying hard not to imagine what the people were thinking and feeling on this same day 60 years ago. my neighbourhood is actually about 10km from the epicentre and wasn't seriously affected. the range of destruction of today's atomic bombs would probably be much more vast.

having lived in hiroshima for four and a half years i have developed some pretty strong feelings towards nuclear weapons, warheads using depleted uranium, and the sympathy pleas of the Japanese. i don't think i will go into the deluge that i could today.

Respect to the innocent victims. May their nightmares be quelled.

"On 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb was exploded over Hiroshima, and the characteristic mushroom-shaped cloud can be seen in this photograph rising over the devastated Japanese city. At this time, Hiroshima was the headquarters of Japan's 2nd General Army."

The other photo is of hiroshima, leveled.
it is, for the moment, my city. i have a history here. there is a community in which i belong. it constantly shocks me to see this picture and pictures like it because i know where things stand now. i could point out spots on this map where funky shops are tucked away or where the swimming pool i lounge at is. the resilience and determination against odds of the human race is never to be underestimated.