interesting pics in history

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by Joe_Pesci, May 12, 2010.

  1. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    A few thoughts:

    The untested bomb was the uranium gun type, which they knew would work so they didn't have to test it. Fire a uranium plug into a uranium donut, and you have critical mass just by putting the two pieces together. The tested bomb was the plutonium compression type, and they had to test the compression mechanism at Alamagordo to see if it would indeed work to compress the plutonium sufficiently to achieve critical mass, and not have the plutonium squirt out one or more sides/holes.

    The US became a non-nuclear power after the Nagasaki drop, and didn't become a nuclear power again until more weapons were finished (this thread says that should have been as soon as later that month, my older sources said it didn't happen until the fall).

    Truman was bothered by killing all those kids. Was he bothered by the firebombing of other Japanese cities with incendiaries, designed to set fire to civilian homes and create firestorms? Once you make the moral leap that you're OK with firebombing tens of thousands of civilians, it doesn't really matter if it's done with one big bomb or thousands of smaller ones. Which is one reason I have trouble with the moral arguments against having used nuclear weapons in 1945. American military planners, and the FDR/Truman Administrations, had already shown that they were OK with mass strategic bombing and inflicting mass civilian casualties by conventional means.

    We didn't know how close the Japanese were to surrendering (or if they were even close at all), even after dropping the second bomb on Nagasaki. Minutes from the Japanese War Council on August 10 indicate that the Soviet invasion of Manchuria on August 8 had as much, if not more, to do with the Japanese (split) decision to surrender.
     
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  2. Tony Ray Bans

    Tony Ray Bans Most Overlooked. Most Overbooked.
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    This is a really important point for a couple reasons. If the soviets had gained a foothold in China or (as planned) the Japanese home islands, the entire dynamic of the post-war/cold war world becomes several orders of magnitude more complex. As it happened, Japan was entirely governed by the post-war US. Had the Soviets had a legitimate claim to Japan, Tokyo may very well have served as a mirror image of Berlin with the soviets having a zone surrounded by American occupation. That adds an extra theater and focal point for tensions of eventual cold war.

    One point I will make about a negative piece of the Atomic Bomb equation though is how we treated J Robert Oppenheimer. He was legitimately one of America's most gifted minds and played such a crucial role in American and human history but his push for caution around nuclear weapons in trying to avoid a nuclear arms race led to him having his security clearance revoked and being shunned as a commie. One of the definite black marks on our history IMO
     
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  3. AptosDuck

    AptosDuck Pedantic Hausfrau
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    As it was the Soviets were granted the Kuril Islands in the peace settlement, which turned out to be extremely valuable to them when they realized that their boomer subs were too loud and could be found/tracked by our attack subs, so they had them go into the Sea of Okhotsk and sit on the bottom waiting for orders. The Kurils pretty much gave the Sovs the gate to the Sea, allowing them the means to keep American subs out
     
  4. bwhit21

    bwhit21 Well-Known Member
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    The firebombing definitely doesn’t get as much attention as it should compared to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The picture below is Tokyo after the war.

    [​IMG]

    I think it’s hard to criticize the decisions made at the time, but can’t help but wonder how much earlier the war would’ve ended had the Japanese known how MacArthur would handle the Emperor. Unconditional surrender has symbolic meaning, I guess, though.

    I visited Hiroshima two years ago and it was humbling. I walked for 30 minutes from my hotel to the blast site to then realize I was in the “completely destroyed” section of the blast radius that entire time. Standing directly beneath where the bomb detonated is one of the more surreal moments I’ve experienced.
     
  5. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    I lived in Japan in 1985 and my dad understood the hostility towards us by I didn’t at the age of 5. Would love to go back some day.
     
  6. Kirk Fogg

    Kirk Fogg "Tell them what they've won Olmec!"
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    My dad had a professional mentor that fought In the Pacific (incl. Iwo) and whenever they’d be on business in Japan, he’d see a man that was relatively the same age and question out loud to himself if they’d ever shot at each other.
     
  7. Stagger Lee

    Stagger Lee Crazy. Sexy. Cool.
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    this sounds like the article Peggy Hill was writing
     
  8. Tarpon Nole

    Tarpon Nole Well-Known Member
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  9. BIGASSTITTIES

    BIGASSTITTIES Fan of: BIGASSTITTIES
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    was this annually? Monthly?
     
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  10. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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  11. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    Nintendo was about to mend some bridges
     
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  12. G46

    G46 Well-Known Member
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    My grandfather had the same reaction towards Korean and Chinese people (not sure if he could tell the difference), except his reaction had some expletives.
     
  13. HotMic

    HotMic PopTart Mascot Enthusiast
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    [​IMG]
     
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  14. WhiskeyDelta

    WhiskeyDelta Well-Known Member
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    Dresden and Hamburg were awful. Fires got so hot that the city water pipes burst and people sheltering underground were boiled to death.
     
  15. spagett

    spagett Got ya, spooked ya
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    Dresden sounded awful

    They got bombed to shit and then like 20 minutes later they were bombed again

    Fires were so strong and pulled so much oxygen that people were getting sucked into them

    Fuck. Just remembered Dresden also had a lot of people sheltering in tunnels beneath the city and they got roasted too
     
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  16. Popovio

    Popovio The poster formerly known as "MouseCop"
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    Hamburg too. Firebombs created a massive fire tornado that was 1400 degrees and had winds of 150 mph, it sucked all the oxygen from the immediate area. A lot of people in the shelters died of asphyxiation rather than burn related injuries; there was simply no oxygen to breathe.

    Sir Arthur Harris and Gen. Curtis LeMay were responsible for Mongol level collateral damage.
     
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  17. dahldennsull

    dahldennsull Living in the best state
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    This season of “Revisionist History” by Malcolm Gladwell goes in on the invention of fire bombs and Curtis Lemay. Very interesting series.
     
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  18. LetItSoak

    LetItSoak Well-Known Member
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    Was just about to post this. Really interesting set of episodes from Gladwell
     
  19. spagett

    spagett Got ya, spooked ya
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    Think the Brits were so ashamed by the bombers that when they celebrated/welcomed the troops hole, that was the only branch that was not recognized
     
  20. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Those were great. Studio 54 must have been insane.
     
  21. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    [​IMG]

    This was Michael Jackson??
     
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  22. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Yep pretty sad.
     
  23. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Can’t imagine how faded Dennis Hopper was in the 60-70s.

    7477A7F9-EF27-4451-A794-E49E7A152734.jpeg
     
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  24. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    He's just backing away from Nicholson's booze fumes
     
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  25. dahldennsull

    dahldennsull Living in the best state
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    [​IMG]

    Brooke shields was born in 1965... so any chance this picture was even 1983?
    :powe::redcard:
     
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  26. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Studio 54 was open from 1977-1980 and then it was re-opened under new ownership from 84-86 so it’s possible I guess.
     
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  27. dahldennsull

    dahldennsull Living in the best state
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    I mean she’s part of a famous lawsuit where she had nude photos taken as a ten year old thanks to her psycho mother and did Calvin Klein ads underage (that’s who she is with in that picture)
     
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  28. War Grundle

    War Grundle Nole Mercy
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    Yeah my guess she’s like 15.
     
  29. Tarpon Nole

    Tarpon Nole Well-Known Member
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  30. ashy larry

    ashy larry from ashy to classy
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  31. pearl

    pearl Fan of: White wimmens feet
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  32. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Not taking part in the 9/11 porn on Facebook today. Yes I have memories to share too but at this point it feels like glorifying it is carrying water for all the military operations over there that have cost so much and lined the pockets of a few profiteers
     
  33. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    Combined with the fact that are president has demonstrably caused 50x as many deaths while 40% of the country cheers him on is sobering
     
    #6234 IV, Sep 11, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2020
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  34. G46

    G46 Well-Known Member
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    Way to take a stand
     
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  35. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    Yeah TC take a stand today by deleting your facebook
     
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  36. G46

    G46 Well-Known Member
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    Every human should do this
     
  37. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    Convince me why I should. I get a lot of value from it
     
  38. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    Really?

    I talk with all my friends through groupme and text chains, cant think of another reason it's needed
     
  39. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    I hate group texts...

    I like how I can broadcast something to 1300 people at once. It’s a personal propaganda channel for me. I also like life updates from members of my community that I wouldn’t talk to otherwise. Sometimes I find stuff I’m interested in like events, new businesses, music, memes. I even like some right wing political drivel to remind me how people think outside my bubble. I mute people that really get on my nerves though
     
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  40. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    Well I suggest you broadcast this today then

     
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  41. G46

    G46 Well-Known Member
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    Its unhealthy. Can cause anxiety, depression, sleep issues, etcetera.

    I think the real issue is that it cause unrealistic expectations. People end up seeking out other people’s lives instead of focusing on their own and being happy with their life. Now, I don’t know if that applies to you, but I think it definitely applies to a lot of younger people.

    Also, a side note, it’s just a cesspool of people arguing and yelling over each other which just makes people angry. Which isn’t healthy either.
     
  42. AbeFroman

    AbeFroman You touch me, I yell RAT!

    I need it for business communication but I hate pretty much everything about it and try to limit my personal exposure to it.
     
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  43. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    I agree with all of this. I work with college students so I definitely think about the unhealthy effects on young people. I’m not immune either

    Being honest, another big reason to keep it is I have all my photos from the past 15 years on there. Yes, that’s a nonideal position to be in where a corporation owns all my memories
     
  44. IV

    IV Freedom is the right of all sentient beings
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    you can download all that stuff before you delete via one button click
     
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  45. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    I think I tried that once and got a big indistinguishable file that I couldn’t separate out. It’d be worth an afternoon of effort to sit there and save them all at some point though.

    If I think seriously about trying to take back privacy and such, I’d have to get rid of my smart phone altogether. Which I’d kinda like to do but I also pretty much need for work
     
  46. Paddy Murphy

    Paddy Murphy Well-Known Member
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    i have not deleted my Facebook entirely (its a requirement for some other apps I use) but have checked it less than once every 4-6 months for the past two years after habitually checking it when I open my phone for how many ever years.

    you don’t realize it when it’s your every day, but if you only look at it twice a year, it literally makes you feel terrible in a tangible way. I promise you. You can literally feel your body and mood go to shit in real time. Between the jealousy, the hate, the inflammatory design. It’s a community of addicts. People who are addicted to the feelings, attention and meaning their online life generates that they can’t generate in their actual life.

    It’s unhealthy as fuck and ruining how young people develop, but at least they are born online and understand the system almost intuitively. Even worse is what it does to people who didn’t grow up with a computer and the internet who don’t know the rules off the road. It fucking destroys them.

    ETA: if you have a business that generates customers and sales through FB, I get it. I’m just saying from a personal standpoint, I promise you you are better off without it.
     
  47. TC

    TC Peter, 53, from Toxteth
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    What about twitter and Instagram? Are y’all all social network free?

    I look at TMB and Facebook the most. Gamecock homeboards and IG the second most. Have twitter but rarely look. That’s pretty much the extent of my web activity unless I’m buying something or googling something/reading up on Wikipedia
     
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  48. WillySaliba

    WillySaliba Well-Known Member
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    I just have twitter but I dont post at all. It's just a new aggregate thing for me.

    Edit: Only sports follows as well. I don't follow news or politics.
     
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  49. AbeFroman

    AbeFroman You touch me, I yell RAT!

    Socials really fuck with my mood on every front. I deleted twitter about 4 months ago and that helped.

    I've come to the conclusion that I'm the equivalent of an alcoholic that can't be around alcohol...only my alcohol is politics. It screws with my mood, I quit cold turkey, 2 wks later I read something that gets me interested and I fall off the wagon, two weeks of binging and my mood is fucked again. Rinse and repeat.

    I can't trust myself to imbibe in moderation. I'm working on it. FOMO, keeping up with the Joneses, and subsequent negative self talk, as well as being exposed to some of the worst in people on a minute by minute basis adds more layers.

    Endrant
     
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