- The
following excerpt from an article in the paper explains the progression
and causes of “The Great
Blackout of 2003.”
-
- When an overheating electrical
transmission line sagged into a tree just outside Cleveland at 3:32 p.m.
on Aug. 14, the events that would lead to the greatest power failure in
North American history began their furious avalanche, according to the
most extensive analysis of the blackout yet. The failure of that
transmission line was crucial, because it put enormous strain on other
lines in Ohio. Soon a utility that serves southern Ohio, with its
overloaded lines close to burning up, sealed itself off, creating in
very real terms an electrical barrier between the southern part of the
state and the northern. What happened next, by this account, was almost
inevitable. To the north, Cleveland, starving for electricity, began to
drain huge, unsustainable amounts of power from Michigan and then
Ontario, knocking out more lines and power plants and pushing the crisis
to the borders of northwestern New York. First the New York system,
acting to protect itself, sealed the state's border with Canada, the
analysis found. But that only created a different, devastating problem:
New York power plants, without anywhere to quickly send electricity not
needed within the state, overloaded their own system. That in turn
quickly led to a general shutdown — the last stage in the largest
blackout in the nation's history.1
-
- It’s
odd how something so small could cause such great damage. However, that
is often the case. It is that principle that we see in our reading this
morning. Here’s what James has to say about one of the smallest parts
of our body:
-
- Dear
brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the
church, for we who teach will be judged by God with greater strictness.
We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also
control themselves in every other way. We can make a large horse turn
around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And
a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go,
even though the winds are strong. So also, the tongue is a small thing,
but what enormous damage it can do. A tiny spark can set a great forest
on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness
that can ruin your whole life. It can turn the entire course of your
life into a blazing flame of destruction, for it is set on fire by hell
itself.
(James 3:1-6 NLT).
-
- If somebody says, “I hope you won’t mind me
telling you this,” it’s pretty certain you will. One of the best
ways to end a rumor is to ask if you may quote the individual passing it
along. If the person says no, it’s possible that the rumor is just
idle talk. If the person answers yes, you should contact the gossip’s
subject to verify the story you heard. Also, if you like to spread news
about others, ask yourself if you would want someone to quote you. A
negative answer is a good sign you should keep your lips sealed on the
matter. And a positive response should lead not to back-fence reporting
but to up-front confronting.
-
- 1.
The
New York Times; James
Glanz and Andrew C. Revkin; Sunday, August 24, 2003.
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