#center for nuclear disarmament

[dreamy-conceit]

In war there are no winners, only widows.

— Arrival (2016), directed by Denis Villeneuve and adapted by Eric Heisserer. This sentence is said in Mandarin, and no translation is provided on screen.

[brandonshimoda]

Emily Zemler at the Los Angeles Times asked me to share my thoughts about Oppenheimer the movie. Her article, which was published on August 4, 2023, can be read here.

She also talked to Naoko Wake (professor of history), Paul Ham (writer), Kathleen Burkinshaw (writer/second gen hibakusha), Ryo Morimoto (professor of anthropology), Carol Turner (co-chair of the London Region Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Li Lai, (founder and editor in chief of Mediaversity Reviews), Jeff Bock (media analyst), Caitlin Stronell (Nuke Info Tokyo).

Here (below) are the questions you asked and the answer I gave, in their entirety:

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Why have you chosen not to see Oppenheimer? Have you spoken with others who have chosen to skip it for similar reasons? 

I care about hibakusha. If Oppenheimer, the movie, is inspiring people to care about hibakusha, then I'll see it. If it isn't, then I won't. Because, in truth, the movie—specifically what it does and how—already exists. We've already seen and experienced it, in different forms, many times over. What we haven't seen or experienced is a committed, collective acknowledgment and understanding of hibakusha, nor an honest reckoning with a world that produces them.

If not seeing Oppenheimer, at this point, is a form of protest, it is a physical protest—my body is protesting—because even just thinking about sitting through a movie where I would be forced, every second, to anticipate the impending horrors that the events of the movie are producing and to experience that anticipation through the subjectivity of J. Robert Oppenheimer, is throwing my body into upheaval. I am not uncommon in this. I have spoken to many people, especially in the Japanese American community, who have expressed tremendous discomfort in the mere idea of the movie, and grave uncertainty, at least, about whether or not they would put themselves through it, whether or not they would even be able to. In that way, the movie, even before it came out, was already doing the work of retraumatization. White audiences have not, for the most part, had to make these kinds of calculations. They instead have the luxury of being entertained.

From what you know about the film, do you feel the Japanese perspective has been properly represented in the film? Do you have any concerns about that lack of representation? 

J. Robert Oppenheimer would be of far less interest and far less worthy of a Hollywood biopic were it not for the victims of the atomic bomb. The critique that Oppenheimer had no obligation to incorporate the perspective of the victims of the atomic bomb, is, for that reason, defensive and disingenuous. That doesn't mean that I believe that Oppenheimer had an obligation to incorporate the perspective of the victims of the atomic bomb. I don't. Because the movie is about the absence of that perspective. 

It is beyond the capacity and the scope—and beyond the souls of its makers—for Oppenheimer to have incorporated the perspective of the victims. This is important because Oppenheimer is an accurate representation of how the perspectives of the hundreds of thousands of victims of the atomic bomb, living or dead, Japanese or Korean or Marshallese, including communities who have been displaced and impacted by nuclear testing and contamination, are not a priority, at all, but must continue to exist, instead, in the shadows of this kind of sweeping dehistoricization, including the beleaguered genius and ingenuity of white men. 

But then, Oppenheimer is not the place to center the perspectives of the victims or the dead, nor should it be, because the perspective of the victims and the dead should not be incorporated into, and therefore cheapened by, what amounts to big-budget propaganda.

An enormous part of the deep, ongoing frustration is that the voices and perspectives of the victims and the dead are most often invoked, even through their absence, in relation to these kinds of obstructions of justice, the work of which is to reinforce white American hegemony. The victims and the dead should be liberated from this eternal, inequitable association. 

Although the film is clearly from Oppenheimer's perspective, why would it be important for a film of this scale to show what actually happened to the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasak? 

It is doubtful that a film of this scale that accurately and unsparingly depicts what happened to the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will ever be made, at least not in the United States, because if was, it would shock audiences into a kind of radicalization that the US, as an unapologetically military-first nation, could not afford and would never allow. But also, what happened is so totally beyond depiction that any large-scale film that makes the attempt, would inevitably fail and would deliver to the American consciousness an endurable dramatization.

The scale, the monumentality, of Oppenheimer is important, because it will, for many US Americans, be their first, maybe only—and, at three hours, longest—exposure to the history and the reality of the atomic bomb. It will, in that way, create a limit, a ceiling, on public consciousness and concern. Oppenheimer reinforces, in the guise of false nuance, the tired and ultimately distracting debate of whether or not the mass murder, the incineration, of over one hundred thousand civilians in an instant, was justified. By reducing it to a debate, into the fray of which is predictably thrown the thoroughly documented falsehood that the atomic bomb saved lives, as well as slapdash references to crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army, it reinforces disinterest and dismissal. Oppenheimer, like so many works of culture that are pitched primarily to a mainstream (i.e. white) audience, pretends to be opening and engaging a conversation, when it is, in fact, ending it.

Do you feel that Oppenheimer is emblematic of a larger issue in Hollywood in terms of who tells stories and what stories are told?

Yes.

If a viewer wants to seek out more information on the Japanese perspective or other perspective that are absent from the film where should they look?

There are innumerable books, films, works of art, etc. that not only center the perspective of the victims, but that tell a more complete, more honest story about Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project. I first learned about Hiroshima from a comic book that my parents gave me when I was ten: I Saw It, by Keiji Nakazawa, a survivor of the atomic bomb. That miserable yet revelatory gift was followed by a visit, that same year, to Hiroshima, and the Peace Memorial Museum. (My grandfather was born in Hiroshima Prefecture, my great-grandmother was born and raised there, and my great-great-grandfather was born, raised, and died there.) Among the most profound books that I have read on Hiroshima, in particular, are: Michihiko Hachiya's Hiroshima Diary, Kenzaburo Oe's Hiroshima Notes, Arata Osada's Children of Hiroshima (which was made into a film of the same name directed by Kaneto Shindo), Ronald Takaki's Hiroshima, and Robert Jay Lifton's Death in Life. There is also at least one copy of John Hersey's Hiroshima in every used bookstore in the United States (which means that many people have read it, were forced to read it, and/or decided it was not worth keeping.) Most importantly, testimonies by hibakusha are also widely available, on the internet, in print, in documentary films. These do not, unlike Oppenheimer, take three hours to read or watch, and yet the story they tell is far more profound and their impact will be far more significant and lasting.

[newstfionline]

Sunday, March 5, 2023

Storms roll east after slamming South; 10 deaths reported (AP) A large storm system took aim at the Northeast on Friday, threatening heavy snow and coastal flooding after heavy winds and possible tornadoes damaged homes and buildings, left thousands without power and caused 10 deaths in a wide swath of the South and Midwest. Three people were killed by falling trees in Alabama as severe weather swept through the state. In Mississippi, a woman died inside her SUV after a rotted tree branch struck her vehicle, and in Arkansas a man drowned after he drove into high floodwaters. News outlets reported two people died in Tennessee when trees fell on them. Three weather-related deaths also were reported in Kentucky in three different counties as storms with straight-line winds moved through the state. The National Weather Service in Louisville called the storm Friday “powerful and historic” with peak wind gusts between 60-80 mph (96-128 kph).

Technology Replaces Even The Repo Guy (Car and Driver) While companies like Google and Amazon are looking into autonomous driving technology in order to operate self-driving taxis and freight vehicles, Ford Motors is implementing the technology for a different purpose: repossessing cars. Recently, a Ford patent was formally published outlining a new suite of features in the field of vehicle repos, including a fully self-driving system that could have repo’d Fords drive themselves back to the dealer. The patent includes full- and semi-autonomous systems to aid in car repossession, alongside a few other features that might make holding onto a repo’d vehicle just plain exhausting. For example, Ford could remotely shut off an owner’s access to air conditioning, radio, or cruise control, or even play annoying sounds through the car stereo to ward off an owner from using their car. The systems could even escalate to fully turning off the car’s ability to drive. Most of these intermediary steps would be taken before the car actually up and drives itself back to a dealership.

Argentina inflation seen speeding in 2023, central bank poll shows (Reuters) Argentina’s inflation rate is seen hitting 99.9% in 2023, speeding up from last year’s rate and topping previous estimates which saw a slightly slower rise, according to a central bank poll of analysts released Friday. The forecast, which is 2.3 percentage points above the 2023 rate projected in last month’s poll, comes amid a prolonged financial and social crisis in one of Latin America’s largest economies. The annual inflation rate in 2022 hit 94.8%, according to Argentina’s statistics institute.

In Britain, ‘warm hubs’ emerge to beat soaring energy costs (AP) On a blustery late-winter day in Shakespeare’s birthplace, the foyer of the Other Place theater is a cozy refuge. Visitors are having meetings over coffee, checking emails, writing poetry, learning to sew. It looks and feels like an arty café in the picturesque streets of Stratford-upon-Avon, but it’s a “warm hub” set up by the Royal Shakespeare Company drama troupe to welcome people struggling to heat their homes because of sky-high energy prices. Warm hubs have sprouted across Britain by the thousands this winter as soaring food and energy prices drive millions to turn down the thermostat or skimp on hot meals. Research by the opposition Labour Party counted almost 13,000 such hubs, funded by a mix of charities, community groups and the government and nestled in libraries, churches, community centers and even a tearoom at King Charles III’s Highgrove country estate.

U.N. Russian Official Warns of Nuclear Clashes (Foreign Policy) Speaking at a U.N. conference in Geneva on the subject of nuclear disarmament, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that western support for Ukraine could lead to a nuclear conflict. Ryabkov blamed “the U.S. and NATO policy of fueling the conflict in Ukraine” and warned “increasing involvement in the military confrontation is fraught with a direct military clash of nuclear powers with catastrophic consequences.” That Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended Russian participation in the 2010 New START nuclear treaty was, Ryabkov stressed, a response to this involvement. Ryabkov did say that Russia would continue to respect caps on nuclear weapons under the treaty.

Heavy fighting as Russians advance in Bakhmut (Washington Post) The battle for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine continued to rage Friday, with Russian forces “constantly hitting the city randomly with artillery, Grads and mortars,” Ukrainian soldier Yuriy Syrotyuk, 46, who is stationed in the north of the city with Ukraine’s Fifth Independent Assault Brigade, said by phone. But Ukrainian forces were still in control of some parts of Bakhmut and have not been ordered to retreat, Syrotyuk said, despite new claims Friday from Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, that Russian forces have “practically surrounded” the city. Other Ukrainian soldiers said that further reinforcements were being deployed to Bakhmut, even as some specialized units were told to redeploy to long-planned fallback positions. Ukrainian troops have pleaded for additional support from the West to push back the Russians from the city, whose value has become largely symbolic over the past months as the Ukrainians have resisted ceding territory in the east. One of the greatest challenges continues to be a lack of ammunition.

The E.U. Offered to Embrace Ukraine, but Now What? (NYT) When the European Union offered Ukraine a path to membership last year, it was in many ways an emotional response to the Russian invasion. Leaders were under pressure to show solidarity with the victims of aggression, even though many opposed the idea. Since then, preoccupied with passing sanctions, scrounging up aid and scouring military inventories to send Ukraine weapons, few in Europe have focused seriously on what that commitment might actually mean. But this is a courtship with consequences for the future, not only for Ukraine’s aspirations and survival, but also for Europe’s own security and finances. Ukrainian membership would reshape the bloc and its relationship with a post-conflict Russia. Tensions are already growing between Europe’s desire to maintain its tough requirements and Ukraine’s demand for quick entry into a promised land that has given hope to the embattled country. European Union officials like Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, have been slow-walking expectations for Ukraine, a country that nearly all agree is fundamentally unprepared to join.

Afghan Women, Banned From Working, Can’t Provide for Their Children (WSJ) Since toppling the U.S.-backed government in 2021, the Taliban has introduced a series of restrictions aimed at squeezing women out of public life in Afghanistan. Girls over sixth grade can no longer go to school, Afghan universities no longer accept female students and women are barred from most public-sector jobs. The employment ban is deepening a humanitarian crisis and putting the livelihood of whole families at risk. Widows are especially vulnerable.

Protests break out in Iran over schoolgirl illnesses (Reuters) Worried parents protested in Iran's capital Tehran and other cities on Saturday over a wave of suspected poison attacks that have affected schoolgirls in dozens of schools, according to Iranian news agencies and social media videos. The so-far unexplained illnesses have affected hundreds of schoolgirls in recent months. Iranian officials believe the girls may have been poisoned and have blamed Tehran's enemies. The country's health minister has said the girls have suffered "mild poison" attacks and some politicians have suggested the girls could have been targeted by hardline Islamist groups opposed to girls' education. Sickness affected more than 30 schools in at least 10 of Iran's 31 provinces on Saturday. Videos posted on social media showed parents gathered at schools to take their children home and some students being taken to hospitals by ambulance or buses.

The proud Pakistani tradition of feeding the hungry is strained as food prices soar (NPR) Since the pandemic, Pakistan has been battered by calamities that have pushed up the price of food and fuel: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and two events made more extreme by climate change: a spring heatwave that shriveled harvests, then summer floods that drowned them. Now there’s an economic crisis so dire, the country risks default. Inflation reached nearly 25% last year, but the figure conceals dramatic variations. In poorer rural areas, prices of food rose even higher. Now, the World Food Programme expects that 5.1 million people are likely to be a step away from famine-levels of hunger by the end of March—an increase of 1.1 million people from the previous quarter. “That number is frightening,” says Chris Kaye, the Pakistan country director of the WFP. And it has put a proud Pakistani tradition of feeding the hungry under strain just when it is needed the most.

Why are China’s tech leaders still disappearing if the crackdown is over? (Washington Post) China’s legendary tech dealmaker Bao Fan hasn’t been seen for almost three weeks. Stock prices have plunged for his investment bank China Renaissance, once known for brokering the country’s biggest tech mergers, and all it has said is that Bao is “assisting the government of the People’s Republic of China with an investigation.” Another titan of China’s tech world, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, was spotted days ago in Melbourne, Australia. While keeping a low profile since regulators put the brakes on his planned record-breaking IPO after he criticized them publicly, Ma has also turned up in Spain and Japan. Bao and Ma aren’t the only tech leaders in China who have vanished from public view seemingly at the peak of their influence. Many of the country’s top business executives and influencers—bankers, property developers, movie stars like Fan Bingbing and e-commerce superseller Austin Li—have gone missing without explanation as their power and influence have grown. Some were later hit with fines and accused of offenses like tax evasion or fraud. Officials have said that the crackdown on the tech industry, which saw a flurry of regulations torpedo the influence of companies from gaming to online education, has ended. But Bao Fan’s disappearance—the latest evidence of the government’s willingness to rein in even the most powerful executives—has shaken investor confidence and undermined Beijing’s insistence it supports the private sector.

World Bank: Quake caused damage worth $5.1 billion in Syria (AP) The World Bank said Friday that Syria sustained an estimated $5.1 billion in damages in last month’s massive earthquake that struck southeast Turkey and northern parts of the war-torn country. The quake killed at least 50,000 people, including about 6,000 in Syria, according to the United Nations. Tens of thousands are still missing and hundreds of thousands were left homeless. In a report released Friday, the World Bank says the level of the damage in Syria is about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. Syria’s northern province of Aleppo was the most severely hit region, accounting for 45% of the total damages in Syria and amounting to about $2.3 billion in damages. Also badly hit was the rebel-held region in the northwest, home to some 4.6 million people, many of them previously displaced by Syria’s war.

[acitymadeofsong]

Feminists have often suggested that an important aspect of the arms race is phallic worship, that "missile envy" is a significant motivating force in the nuclear build-up. I have always found this an uncomfortably reductionist explanation and hoped that my research at the Center would yield a more complex analysis. But still, I was curious about the extent to which I might find a sexual subtext in the defense professionals' discourse. I was not prepared for what I found. I think I had naively imagined myself as a feminist spy in the house of death-that I would need to sneak around and eavesdrop on what men said in unguarded moments, using all my subtlety and cunning to unearth whatever sexual imagery might be underneath how they thought and spoke. I had naively believed that these men, at least in public, would appear to be aware of feminist critiques. If they had not changed their language, I thought that at least at some point in a long talk about "penetration aids," someone would suddenly look up, slightly embarrassed to be caught in such blatant confirmation of feminist analyses of What's Going On Here. Of course, I was wrong. There was no evidence that any feminist critiques had ever reached the ears, much less the minds, of these men. American military dependence on nuclear weapons was explained as "irresistible, because you get more bang for the buck." Another lecturer solemnly and scientifically announced "to disarm is to get rid of all your stuff." (This may, in turn, explain why they see serious talk of nuclear disarmament as perfectly resistable, not to mention foolish. If disarmament is emasculation, how could any real man even consider it?) A professor's explanation of why the MX missile is to be placed in the silos of the newest Minuteman missiles, instead of replacing the older, less accurate ones, was "because they're in the nicest hole-you're not going to take the nicest missile you have and put it in a crummy hole." Other lectures were filled with discussion of vertical erector launchers, thrust-to-weight ratios, soft lay downs, deep penetration, and the comparative advantages of protracted versus spasm attacks-or what one military adviser to the National Security Council has called "releasing 70 to 80 percent of our megatonnage in one orgasmic whump." There was serious concern about the need to harden our missiles and the need to "face it, the Russians are a little harder than we are." Disbelieving glances would occasionally pass between me and my one ally in the summer program, another woman, but no one else seemed to notice.

Carol Cohn, Sex and Death in the Rational World of Defense Intellectuals

[dyoungv]

🌻RISE, SUNFLOWERS🌻 Coming to @lunarienne THIS SATURDAY, JULY 16TH 5-9 PM THANK YOU @misia.soup !!!!!!!! “light beams connection” 11x14in $150 All proceeds from these pieces go to @heartsforukraine.us https://www.heartsforukraine.us/ Rise, Sunflowers is a group art exhibition and fundraiser for Ukraine, curated by San Francisco artists D Young V and Mykola Bereza. The show will bring together the Bay Area art scene and elements of Ukrainian culture to raise awareness and garner much-needed funds for humanitarian efforts and essential supples, after the disastrous Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. The title of the show is a reference to both human empowerment and Ukraine’s national flower (Sonyashnyk). The sunflower was introduced in the country in the mid-18th century and has since become a key component of the Ukrainian economy — its sunflower oil comprises nearly 80% of the global stock. In 1996 the sunflower also became a symbol of global celebration as it was used to mark the nuclear disarmament of Ukraine, which at the time possessed the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal. The sunflower has taken on new meaning as a symbol of solidarity, resistance, unity and hope since the Russian invasion. The show will feature 25 local artists exhibiting affordable works of various media, the proceeds from which will be donated to Hearts for Ukraine, a Bay Area-based organization that delivers critical supplies to hospitals, shelters, schools, orphanages, nursing homes, refugee support centers and the territorial defense forces of Ukraine. #ukraine #heartsforukraine #lunariennegallery #lunarienne #risesunflowers #misia.soup #misiafarris (at Luna Rienne Gallery) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf-ox0mrw6c/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[whatsonmedia]

Wednesday Wisdom: Authors Share Compelling Life Narratives

“Explore captivating life tales in this week’s Wednesday Wisdom! Lydia Millet’s ‘We Loved It All’ delves into human-animal detachment, critiquing corporate greed. Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife’ recounts his harrowing stabbing incident, while Lauren Roberts’ ‘Powerful’ and Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s ‘A Great Country’ offer gripping narratives. Annie Jacobsen’s ‘Nuclear War: A Scenario’ presents a chillingly realistic account, urging reflection on global peace.”

We Loved It All by Lydia Millet

Lydia Millet’s debut into nonfiction, “We Loved It All: A Memory of Life,” probes the consequences of human detachment from the animal realm. Through fervor and outrage, the celebrated author of 2022’s “Dinosaurs” targets corporate greed imperiling global wildlife. She critiques the 1970s “Crying Indian” campaign for shifting responsibility onto consumers for environmental damage caused mainly by big business.

Millet intertwines personal anecdotes from her upbringing and parenthood to illustrate how compassion for all creatures correlates with global economic justice. Her poignant yet optimistic reflection on our present condition underscores our interconnections in the world.

Knife by Salman Rushdie

In August 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie endured nearly ten stabbings during a speaking event in western New York. In his latest memoir, “Knife,” Rushdie recounts the brutal assault, detailing its aftermath: PTSD, diminished left-hand mobility, and right-eye blindness. The narrative delves intimately into the event’s horrors and its enduring impact on his life. Notably, the book’s release has delayed the trial of Rushdie’s alleged assailant, charged with attempted murder, as it holds potential evidential value.

Rushdie views “Knife” as a vital component of his healing journey, stating, “This book was imperative—a means to reclaim agency amidst violence, answering it with art.”

Powerful by Lauren Roberts

Powerful, a novella by Lauren Roberts, dives into the world of her New York Times bestseller, Powerless. This companion story centers on Adena, a fan favorite from the original novel, and her struggles in the harsh city of Loot.

The narrative follows Adena as she fights to survive on the streets. A stark contrast to the lives of the privileged Elites who rule the land. As the story unfolds, Adena encounters a mysterious and dangerous Elite. It raising questions about loyalty, survival, and the complexities of love in a stratified society.

A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

In “A Great Country,” Shilpi Somaya Gowda navigates the intricate tapestry of the immigrant journey in America. The Shah family, emblematic of the American dream in their affluent California enclave, faces upheaval when their son’s arrest exposes underlying tensions. Gowda skillfully intertwines diverse perspectives, from immigrant parents grappling with sacrifice to their American-born children navigating cultural dualities.

Through the lens of a detective and lawyer, the novel delves into racial biases in the justice system. Themes of generational conflict and the immigrant experience prompt profound reflection, lingering beyond the final page. Gowda’s evocative storytelling prompts introspection on identity and belonging in modern America.

Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen

Annie Jacobsen’s “Nuclear War: A Scenario” diverges from typical war narratives, eschewing heroism for chilling realism. With meticulous research, Jacobsen crafts a harrowing tale of a nuclear first strike, drawing on interviews and expertise to paint a hauntingly believable picture. The narrative unfolds with urgency, capturing the chaos and desperation of imminent destruction. While not for the faint-hearted, the book serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of nuclear conflict. It urging readers towards disarmament and sanity in a perilous world.

[christinamac1]

World Council of Churches head meets with new director of International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

 https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-general-secretary-meets-with-new-executive-director-of-international-campaign-to-abolish-nuclear-weapons 27 Oct 23 World Council of Churches general secretary the Rev. Jerry Pillay on Oct. 26 met with Melissa Parke, the new executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Discussions centered around how disarmament work,…

[newsakd]

[ad_1] Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Mallory Stewart, will travel to Brasilia, Brazil and Lima, Peru the week of August 13-17 for meetings with government officials. Assistant Secretary Stewart and counterparts will focus on strategic stability efforts including space security, related norms of responsible behavior in outer space, and the responsible military use of artificial intelligence. Additionally, they will discuss bilateral and multilateral nuclear arms control efforts, including the International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification. Further dialogue will center on a follow-up to the Chemical Weapons Convention Review Conference and efforts to collaborate on arms control risk reduction and accountability measures. [ad_2] Source link

[denimbex1986]

'As portrayed in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, in 1945 after the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki, J. Robert Oppenheimer, who led the development of the nuclear weapons, told President Harry Truman that he had “blood on his hands.”

The scene stood out to Archbishop John Wester. He said the moment, along with others that highlight Oppenheimer’s moral dilemma after the bombings, invites people of today to assess for themselves the “morally untenable reality” of a world with nuclear weapons.

“I think it suggests do we have a choice? And Oppenheimer was kind of clinging to that moral lifeline of saying, ‘Well, I have to do this for the good of the country because if not someone else will do it,” Wester said. “But it does bring to my mind the question, ‘OK fine that was then, well what about now?’”

“What do we do about it now, and how can we live this morally untenable reality of all the nuclear weapons that could destroy civilization?” added Wester, the archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico. “I think the moral dilemma that we’re in, I think the movie speaks to that.”

Wester, a staunch advocate of nuclear disarmament, viewed the film with a group of about 50 people at the Contemporary Arts Center in Santa Fe on July 22, and participated in a panel discussion afterwards.

Speaking with Crux about the film, Wester said it was what he expected in how it was well made and approached the life and story of Oppenheimer, and also what he expected in how it heightened awareness of the nuclear weapons reality that the world’s living under right now.

In the 75-plus years since Oppenheimer directed the Manhattan Project to produce the world’s first nuclear weapons, the United States and Russia have amassed 5,244 and 5,899 nuclear warheads, respectively, according to the latest data from the Federation of American Scientists. There are approximately 12,500 nuclear warheads worldwide, the data shows.

“I think the Oppenheimer movie raises a consciousness of the whole nuclear weapons crisis that we’re in, and that’s a good thing and we need to talk about it,” said Wester, who next week will lead a delegation to Japan to advocate for nuclear disarmament. “We’re kind of hoping a lot of people see [Oppenheimer] because it will give us a segway to talk about this issue.”

A New York native and the son of Jewish immigrants from Germany, Oppenheimer earned a B.A. in chemistry from Harvard University in 1922. He then traveled to England to study at Cambridge – where the movie picks up – before leaving a year later to accept a position studying at the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Göttingen, Germany, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1927.

Oppenheimer then returned to the United States. In 1929, he accepted a joint professorship at the University and California, Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology to introduce his work in theoretical physics. In 1941, it was at Berkeley that he began and a colleague began research into the physics of a possible atom bomb. A year later, General Leslie Groves asked Oppenheimer to lead the Manhattan Project team tasked with developing the bomb, which he did.

Groves allowed Oppenheimer to establish a special bomb laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where on July 16, 1945, the bomb they made was tested in what was called the Trinity Test – a success. And eventually used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki – killing at least 110,000 people.

The movie also dives into Oppenheimer’s personal life, political associations, and the moral and career challenges he faced in the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in part as an advocate for nuclear deterrence, and against the development of the more powerful hydrogen bomb.

From Wester’s perspective, Oppenheimer’s legacy is complex as both a brilliant scientist, and man who set the world on a dangerous path. He noted, however, that he won’t say Oppenheimer shouldn’t have done what he did because someone else would have. Wester won’t condemn him, either, because “Oppenheimer thought he was doing the right thing … and thought he was protecting the country.”

“It’s conflicting, because on the one hand you have to admire his brilliance,” Wester said. “On the other hand, he’s also a tragic figure because what he did led us into the nuclear age, and that’s a tragedy. He ushered something in that could truly destroy everything.”'

[davidfinch1230]

Breaking News Uncovering the Latest Developments in Global Politics

Introduction:

In the ever-changing landscape of global politics, new developments can shape the course of nations and have far-reaching implications. From shifts in diplomatic relations to major policy changes, staying informed about these developments is crucial. In this article, we delve into the latest happenings in global politics, shedding light on key events that are shaping our world.

Evolving Alliances: A New Geopolitical Order

The geopolitical order has witnessed significant shifts in recent months, with the emergence of new alliances and the reconfiguration of existing ones. One notable development is the strengthening of ties between previously estranged nations. BizNewsMag For instance, the United States and Russia have engaged in high-level diplomacy to address global challenges such as climate change and nuclear disarmament. This unexpected collaboration has the potential to reshape the global balance of power.

Climate Change Takes Center Stage

The urgency to combat climate change has reached unprecedented levels, resulting in profound implications for global politics. Governments worldwide are stepping up their efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and transition to sustainable energy sources. Multilateral agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, have gained renewed momentum as countries rally together to address this existential threat. The prioritization of climate action is reshaping the political discourse, influencing policy decisions and diplomatic relations.

Reshaping Trade Dynamics: From Protectionism to Cooperation

Trade dynamics between nations have witnessed notable changes, as protectionist tendencies give way to a more collaborative approach. Countries are recognizing the benefits of mutually beneficial trade agreements and are seeking to establish new economic partnerships. Regional trade blocs, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), are paving the way for increased economic integration and cooperation.

Technology and National Security

Advancements in technology have become a key determinant of national security and global power dynamics. Cybersecurity threats, digital espionage, and the race for technological dominance have amplified tensions between nations. Governments are increasingly prioritizing investment in cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, to safeguard their interests and assert influence in the digital realm. The intersection of technology and geopolitics has become a critical area of focus for policymakers worldwide.

Shifting Global Health Landscape

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the interdependence of nations when it comes to global health. Countries are reevaluating their healthcare infrastructure and pandemic response strategies, recognizing the need for international collaboration in addressing future health crises. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global health institutions are being reformed to enhance their capacity to respond effectively to future challenges. The pandemic has also triggered debates on vaccine equity, intellectual property rights, and global health governance.

Conclusion:

As we navigate the complexities of global politics, it is essential to stay abreast of the latest developments that shape our world. From evolving alliances to climate change action, trade dynamics, technological advancements, and health crises, these key areas are defining the current global political landscape. By understanding these developments, we can engage in informed discussions, contribute to shaping policy decisions, and work towards a more stable and cooperative international order.

[swldx]

12095Khz 0358 19 MAY - BBC (UNITED KINGDOM) in ENGLISH from TALATA VOLONONDRY. SINPO = 55445. English, dead carrier s/on @0358z then ID@0359z pips and Newsday preview. @0401z World News anchored by Neil Nunes. The G7 leaders are holding their annual meeting in Hiroshima, Japan. Ukraine is top of the agenda as the US flags increasing sanctions on Russia and the UK bans Russian diamonds. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the summit in person, say media reports. Tensions with China also loom large - the G7 leaders want to ensure a "free and open Indo-Pacific". There will also be discussions on climate change, food security, health, and nuclear disarmament. The G7 comprises the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan - but eight other nations have been invited this year. The Walt Disney Company has scrapped a plan to invest nearly $1bn (£806m) to build a new corporate campus in Florida, it announced. The reversal comes amid an escalating feud between the entertainment giant and the state's Republican-led government headed by Ron DeSantis. Brazil's supreme court voted on Thursday to convict former President Fernando Collor de Mello on corruption and money laundering charges. The Brazilian prosecutor's office accused Collor of having received around 30 million reais ($6 million) in bribes from a subsidiary of state-run oil company Petrobras. An elderly Perth doctor who had been held captive in West Africa after being kidnapped in Burkina Faso has been released more than seven years later. Kenneth Elliott, now aged 88, was abducted with his wife Jocelyn in January 2016 close to the Niger border by a group believed to have links to Al Qaeda. Tsunami warnings were issued to countries in the South Pacific on Friday after a 7.7 magnitude struck southeast of the Loyalty Islands in the French territory of New Caledonia. Potential tsunami threats were issued for Vanuatu, Fiji and New Caledonia, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, while Australia's meteorology bureau said there was a threat for Lord Howe Island off its east coast. Ukraine's capital Kyiv has been attacked from the air by Russia for the tenth time this month. Kyiv's authorities said it seemed all incoming missiles had been destroyed, but debris falling from the air caused some damage in two districts. Critics have branded the UK government's delayed £1bn package of support for the semiconductor industry as "insignificant". Semiconductors, or chips, are inside everything from phones to cars and the government has just unveiled a new 10-year strategy. But it is facing allegations it is not enough - the US and EU have announced support closer to $50bn (£40bn). A study, released on Thursday by the New York University Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, underscored how deeply rooted misogyny, racism and other extreme ideologies have become in some video game chat rooms, and offered insight into why people playing video games or socializing online seem to be particularly susceptible to such viewpoints. @0406z "Newsday" begins. 250ft unterminated BoG antenna pointed E/W w/MFJ-1020C active antenna (used as a preamplifier/preselector), Etón e1XM. 250kW, beamAz 315°, bearing 63°. Received at Plymouth, United States, 15359KM from transmitter at Talata Volonondry. Local time: 2258.

[dreamy-conceit]

Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds.

— J. Robert Oppenheimer, "father of the atomic bomb." Oppenheimer recalled this line from the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita, after witnessing the first nuclear weapon test, known as Trinity.

Now we are all sons of bitches.

— Kenneth Bainbridge, director of the Trinity nuclear weapon test.

[sheetmusiclibrarypdf]

Maria (from West Side Story) - Leonard Bernstein (Easy Piano Solo) sheet music, Noten

Maria (from West Side Story) - Leonard Bernstein (Easy Piano Solo) sheet music, Noten

https://rumble.com/embed/v2j2ouw/?pub=14hjof

Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein (August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first American conductor to receive international acclaim. According to music critic Donal Henahan, he was "one of the most prodigiously talented and successful musicians in American history". Leonard Bernstein was the recipient of many honors, including seven Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, sixteen Grammy Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honor. As a composer he wrote in many genres, including symphonic and orchestral music, ballet, film and theatre music, choral works, opera, chamber music and works for the piano. His best-known work is the Broadway musical West Side Story, which continues to be regularly performed worldwide, and has been adapted into two (1961 and 2021) feature films. His works include three symphonies, Chichester Psalms, Serenade after Plato's "Symposium", the original score for the film On the Waterfront, and theater works including On the Town, Wonderful Town, Candide, and his MASS. Leonard Bernstein was the first American-born conductor to lead a major American symphony orchestra. He was music director of the New York Philharmonic and conducted the world's major orchestras, generating a significant legacy of audio and video recordings. He was also a critical figure in the modern revival of the music of Gustav Mahler, in whose music he was most passionately interested. A skilled pianist, he often conducted piano concertos from the keyboard. He was the first conductor to share and explore classical music on television with a mass audience. Through dozens of national and international broadcasts, including Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic, he sought to make music both intelligible and enjoyable to all. Through his educational efforts, including several books and the creation of two major international music festivals, he influenced several generations of young musicians. A lifelong humanitarian, Bernstein worked in support of civil rights; protested against the Vietnam War;advocated nuclear disarmament; raised money for HIV/AIDS research and awareness; and engaged in multiple international initiatives for human rights and world peace. He conducted Mahler's "Resurrection Symphony"" at the funeral of President John F. Kennedy, and in Israel at a world-famous concert, Hatikvah on Mt. Scopus, after the 1967 war. The sequence of events was preserved for posterity in a documentary entitled Journey to Jerusalem. At the end of his life, he conducted an historic performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in Berlin to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall. The concert was televised live, worldwide, on Christmas Day, 1989. While Bernstein was very well known for his music compositions and conducting, he was also known for his outspoken political views and his strong desire to further social change. His first aspirations for social change were made apparent in his producing (as a student) a recently banned opera, The Cradle Will Rock, by Marc Blitzstein, about the disparity between the working and upper class. His first opera, Trouble in Tahiti, was dedicated to Blitzstein and has a strong social theme, criticizing American civilization and suburban upper-class life in particular. As he went on in his career, Bernstein would go on to fight for everything from the influences of "American Music" to the disarming of western nuclear weapons. Like many of his friends and colleagues, Bernstein had been involved in various left-wing causes and organizations since the 1940s. He was blacklisted by the US State Department and CBS in the early 1950s, but unlike others his career was not greatly affected, and he was never required to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee. His political life received substantial press coverage though in 1970, due to a gathering hosted at his Manhattan apartment at 895 Park Avenue on January 14, 1970. Bernstein and his wife held the event seeking to raise awareness and money for the defense of several members of the Black Panther Party against a variety of charges, especially the case of the Panther 21. The New York Times initially covered the gathering as a lifestyle item, but later posted an editorial harshly unfavorable to Bernstein following generally negative reaction to the widely publicized story. This reaction culminated in June 1970 with the appearance of "Radical Chic: That Party at Lenny's", an essay by journalist Tom Wolfe featured on the cover of the magazine New York. The article contrasted the Bernsteins' comfortable lifestyle in one of the world's most expensive neighborhoods with the anti-establishment politics of the Black Panthers. It led to the popularization of "radical chic" as a critical term. Both Bernstein and his wife Felicia responded to the criticism, arguing that they were motivated not by a shallow desire to express fashionable sympathy but by their concern for civil liberties. Bernstein was named in the book Red Channels: The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television (1950) as a Communist along with Aaron Copland, Lena Horne, Pete Seeger, Artie Shaw and other prominent figures of the performing arts. Red Channels was issued by the right-wing journal Counterattack Read the full article

[fightforthesoulofthecities]

Give a gift of hope for the holidays Support the Strategy Center's Work

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1670013968976{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”] SUPPORT THE STRATEGY CENTER’S END OF THE YEAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN As the holidays approach, let’s fight for nuclear disarmament, Black liberation, women’s liberation, and climate reparations for the Third World. Our Movement is on the upswing. All of us fighting for social justice should nurture…

[mariacallous]

On October 23, following a report in Russia’s state news, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu started calling his counterparts in France, Turkey, the UK, and the United States, warning that Moscow has collected intelligence suggesting that the Ukrainian government is preparing a “provocation” involving the use of a dirty bomb. A day later, Russia’s Foreign Ministry claimed that Kyiv plans to “camouflage” an explosion of “the radioactive substances derived from the spent nuclear fuel storages of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant” as the effects of a “low-power Russian nuclear warhead that contains highly enriched uranium in its charge,” supposedly framing Moscow for using tactical nukes.

At Kyiv’s own request, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has already begun inspections to investigate Russia’s claims, but the Kremlin has pressed on, undeterred. On October 27, Vladimir Putin said again that the Ukrainian government is “preparing an incident with a so-called dirty bomb” with plans to accuse Russia of using a nuclear weapon.

To understand what radiological weapons actually are and what their use would mean in Ukraine, The Naked Pravda turned to three experts.

Timestamps for this episode:

(3:39) Dr. Andrey Baklitskiy, a senior researcher in the Weapons of Mass Destruction and other Strategic Weapons Program at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, compares Moscow’s “dirty bomb” allegations to past claims about U.S. bioweapons on Ukrainian soil.

(15:08) Dr. Nicole Grajewski, a Stanton Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow with the Belfer Center’s Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard’s Kennedy School, describes how Russian warnings about Ukrainian radiological weaponry mimic past accusations against the White Helmets in Syria.

(25:21) Sarah Bidgood, the director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, explains the rise and demise of state-level radiological weapons programs.

[tgfpm]

@statedept #AssistantSecStewart #biography #csadosdexcerpt from https://www.state.gov/biographies/mallory-stewart/ Mallory Stewart is the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance (AVC) at the U.S. Department of State. She joined AVC in 2022, after serving as a Special Assistant to President Biden and Senior Director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation at the National Security Council since January 2021. Prior to joining the NSC, she was the Senior Manager for Global Nuclear Security and Nonproliferation at the Center for Global Security and Cooperation in Sandia National Laboratories. While at Sandia, she helped lead Sandia’s Cooperative Monitoring Center in its efforts to facilitate scientific engagement for global security… Ms. Stewart has also worked as a Nonresident Fellow at the Stimson Center, an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and as an associate at the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell. She holds an A.B. from Harvard College and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. https://www.instagram.com/p/CjAJVI3Ouw_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=