The Grenfell tower inferno in London UK has been in the news the last few days. I spotted it first on Aljazeera late Tuesday evening around 12-midnight, but no one else was reporting it. It took the BBC until later on Wednesday to field the story. This late response made me wonder, but now I know why. The people in the tower were Asian and also refugees from the Middle East. They have regular connections with relatives who know about Aljazeera. London’s BBC would not have such close contact with refugees that live in social housing as it turns out.

London’s BBC would not have such close contact with refugees that live in social housing as it turns out.

The fire was enabled and once started also fed by the retro fitted cladding that had a core of flammable insulation material that architects had warned against. And it sounds like the cladding was installed away from the old exterior wall to create a breathing space for moisture release. I surmise that this space started to act as a chimney once the fire had started and funnelled the fire and toxic smoke up and around, turning the building into a torch. That is what it looked like already on those first images Tuesday night on Aljazeera news. This morning I’m thinking that with Brussels’ regulations applied, this design would have been disallowed.

Rather, I do convert my mental state to one of active support when I think of this event, its effect, affect and aftermath.

In spite of all this I am forming and shaping my mental powers of concentration on comfort and empowerment for the victims, the survivors, the rescuers and recoverers. I am surprised to be so overwhelmed by this event, but don’t want to remain in that state of passive comprehension and shock even! Rather, I do convert my mental state to one of active support when I think of this event, its effect, affect and aftermath. For example, let’s concentrate on finding other buildings that are such death traps and take action on them; forging the iron while it’s hot by putting new regulation in place and fixing the buildings that are substandard. This is what I proclaim for myself regarding the Grenfell Tower event.

Yesterday morning I had coffee with Rene who came by early to pick me up. We had our coffee outside in the sun at the ‘Good Earth’ down the street. A lady of age stopped by to discuss the Shumir becoming a safe injection site. Though she first said to be accepting of it, she later voiced that we should leave such people to their fate. I replied hat this was not inline with Christian values in that the fate of our neighbour is also my concern.

Later in the day and evening I made a good start with preparing my talk for web posting. However, my html mark-up skills are quite rusty and I spend considerable time finding out how to do what. However, there is daylight at the end of the tunnel, not a train!

Friends must allow for differences and stay away from shaping each other’s behaviours or convictions.

Later today lunch with Herman which has become such a set piece for both of us in our lives - since the summer of ca 2000. We usually talk for two hours about politics, religion, family, the old country and our personal lives as well, even about what we hold to be true and factual in the stories told and handed down. Here we are not always in agreement, but we regard that as a matter of choice for the each one of us. Friends must allow for differences and stay away from shaping each other’s behaviours or convictions. Enough said and written!