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WPCNR OBSERVATIONS.By John F. Bailey. August 6, 2016 Reprinted from WPCNR archives:

Seventy-one years ago in 1945, today, August 9, the second atomic bomb was dropped on the Japan city, Nagasaki, two days after the Enola Gay, a single American bomber dropped an Atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan.

The terrible effects of those two  bombs are a horror that has never been repeated

A second bomber, Bock’s Car on August 9, dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki, 71 years ago today.

Unknown thousands of Japanese citizens’ lives were vaporized, burned, maimed and two cities leveled to the ground in an instant in both bombings.

To grasp what one atomic bomb did to Nagasaki,  readers may see the photographs Japanese photographer Yosuki Yamato took of the aftermath of Nagasaki the day it happened at

http://www.exploratorium.edu/nagasaki/photos.html#journey/63.jpg

The decision to drop the bombs was made after the United States, Great Britain and the Republic of China demanded Japan  surrender in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26 or face  “prompt and utter destruction”.

The Japanese government did not surrender. After the Nagasaki bombing, they did.

The United States deployed two nuclear weapons  dropping one on Hiroshimi, 71 years ago today and one on Nagasaki on August 9.

Over four months the bombs resulted in the deaths of   90,000–166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000–80,000 in Nagasaki, half dying the day the bombs fell.

The Hiroshima prefecture health department estimated that, of the people who died on the day of the explosion, 60% died from flash or flame burns, 30% from falling debris and 10% from other causes. During the following months, large numbers died from the effect of burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness.

In a US estimate of the total immediate and short term cause of death, 15–20% died from radiation sickness, 20–30% from burns, and 50–60% from other injuries, compounded by illness. In both cities, most of the dead were civilians, although Hiroshima had a sizeable garrison.

The horror of those two bombings and the aftermath, the injuries created have resulted in an effort and reluctance on the part of nuclear-armed powers to avoid any nuclear attacks since that date.

Within a few days of those bombings, Japan surrendered unconditionally, officially ending World War II.

The decision to use the bombs by the United States has long been debated.

A dialogue on what the bombs did, why the decision was made was collected in 1995, the fiftieth year since the bombings. It is available at http://www.exploratorium.edu/nagasaki/commentary/decision.html

WPCNR PLAYLAND-GO-ROUND. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. August 4, 2016: 

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino and Standard Amusements, LLC, announced today that LiRo Engineers, Inc., will lead an engineering consortium, including Westchester-based and minority-owned, Savin Engineers, PC, to design the county capital projects that will rehabilitate and upgrade Playland.

“Hiring this consortium is the next step towards making the new Playland a reality,” said Astorino. “The consultants will ensure that this series of capital projects is streamlined and executed efficiently.”

Under the county’s public-private partnership with Standard Amusements, LLC, approved by the Westchester County Board of Legislators on May 2, 2016, the county is responsible for hiring an engineering consultant to provide design, construction and program administration. The consultant will also review the design documents submitted by Standard Amusements and coordinate the design and construction of all projects at Playland.

LiRo Engineers with Savin responded to a request for proposal (RFP) and was selected by the county’s Professional Selection Board in July is the most qualified firm to lead engineering services for Playland’s rehabilitation and upgrade projects.

“The speed with which Westchester County completed the RFP process and selected LiRo is impressive by any measure; this is an example of government operating at its best,” said Nicholas Singer, partner at Standard Amusements and a Harrison, NY native. “LiRo and Savin have with a strong reputation for doing outstanding work. This is a positive first-step in the right direction for this historic project.”

LiRo Engineers will work with the following sub-consultants to ensure the success of the projects:

• Savin Engineers, PC, for electrical engineering design, structural engineering design, construction administration services, and program management services.
• CTA Architects, PC, for architectural design and historic preservation services.
• Historical Perspectives, Inc., for archaeological services.
• YU & Associates Engineers, PC, for geotechnical engineering design services.
• KM Associates of New York, Inc., for permitting services.

Of the consultants, two firms, Savin Engineers, PC, and YU & Associates Engineers, PC, are registered minority-owned businesses, and Historical Perspectives, Inc. is a woman-owned business.

The county, Standard Amusements and LiRo Engineers will begin developing a construction schedule for Playland and have the final schedule by the end of September 2016.