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July 16, 2007
Happy anniversary
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62 years ago today, the first atomic bomb was detonated in the desert of New Mexico. It inspired Robert Oppenheimer to say, "I am become death, destroyer of worlds."
It also inspired numerous other things. I'm talking the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Korea, Vietnam, and a generation in fear of nuclear holocaust. The Doomsday Clock knew how to scare the pants off people.
Of course, the prospect of worldwide annihilation was good for a laugh every now and then. Dr. Strangelove was pretty hilarious. Armageddon made great fodder for a Simpsons Halloween episode. It gave Doc Brown an excuse to get plutonium for his time machine.
Is the danger of nuclear weapons passed? Not by a long shot, but I have to say it's somewhat of a credit to humanity that we haven't managed to destroy the whole world just yet. But I guess there's always Judgment Day to worry about...
entry no. 911
Posted by oz115 at July 16, 2007 12:08 PM