#nuclear arms

[facts-i-just-made-up]

The words “Squirrel - Nut - Zipper” were the launch code for American nuclear devices from 1961-1993, when a band formed with a similar name. After investigation this was determined to be a coincidence so the code was not changed, and remains so to this day.

[oldguydoesstuff]

When I worked for DEC, I used to love reading the internal DECNotes message board that had collected stories from Field Service about weird installations of our computers.

By far the best one concerned a PDP 11/73, like the one above, that was used to measure nuclear bomb yield. The story went that the system was in a shaft leading to the underground test chamber, and it took readings on the explosion in real time until it was vaporized.

I always hoped this was true but took it with a grain of salt - but this archive.org post about just such a setup at Los Alamos backs it up. The test method is quite ingenious too - the system uses time domain relfectometry (TDR) measurements to measure a length of cable between the bomb and the computer. As the bomb explodes, the blast eats away at the cable, and they can figure out yield and stuff based on how fast it happens.

The PDP 11 is indeed not spared in the process, it transmits its results to a distant receiver before being destroyed what can only be at most seconds later.

That's why the instructions are clear to say "start with a PDP 11 you no longer love." lol.

[originalleftist]

Since we have mounting tensions with Iran again, in addition to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war AND the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, and a lot of people posting advocating extreme "solutions" with maximal goals, a reminder:

It is very, very hard to impose major change on a nation state from outside in the modern world- and pretty much impossible if that country is nuclear, for reasons that should be abundantly obvious.

So when we talk about how we're going to deal with Russia, or Iran's bullshit, or end the war in the Middle East, or deal with (God forbid) another Trump Presidency... understand that the rest of the world can say what it thinks should happen, and can exert some indirect pressure in the form of diplomacy, sanctions, etc... But really major territorial or regime changes can ONLY come from within those countries, with the consent and active involvement of their own people.

This is true to some extent of any country of any great size or population, as occupying another country is extremely costly, and there are not the disparities in technology or unfamiliar diseases that allowed European colonialism of old to succeed- nor, thankfully, do I think that the modern world is quite as politically forgiving of simply wiping out or enslaving a people and annexing their land as it used to be.

But it's ESPECIALLY true if it's a nuclear state. Which, to date, includes:

The United States of America

Russia

China

The United Kingdom.

France.

India.

Pakistan.

Israel.

North Korea.

And let's be realistic, since the US has said that Iran's at the point where they could probably build a nuke in a week or two if they want to, we can potentially add:

Iran.

If you want to change the basic structure, government, or borders of any of those countries, then your solution MUST be one that enough people within those countries will consent to, and actively support.

Otherwise, you are not only behaving unethically, you are behaving delusionally. You are not engaging with the world as it is.

[apenitentialprayer]

Nuclear War, by Sint3tico

A Fable of the End

Now even as in the time of Job, when the sons of God came to stand before the Lord, Satan was also present among them. And the Lord said to him: "Whence comest thou, Satan?" And Satan answering said, as of old, "I have gone round about the earth, and have walked through it." And the Lord said unto him: "Hast thou considered that simple and upright prince, my servant Name, hating evil and loving peace?" And Satan answering said: "Doth Name fear God in vain? For hast Thou not blessed his hand with great wealth and made him mighty among nations? But stretch forth Thy hand a little and decrease what he hath, and let his enemy be strengthened; then see if he blasphemeth Thee not to Thy face." And the Lord said to Satan: "Behold what he hath, and lessen it. See thou to it." And Satan went forth from the presence of God and returned into the world. Now the Prince Name was not as Holy Job, for when his land was afflicted with trouble and his people less rich than before, when he saw his enemy become mightier, he grew fearful and ceased to trust in God, thinking unto himself: I must strike before the enemy overwhelmeth me without taking his sword in hand. And so it was in those days that the princes of the Earth had hardened their hearts against the Law of the Lord, and of their pride there was no end. And each of them thought within himself that it was better for all to be destroyed than for the will of other princes to prevail over his. For the mighty of the Earth did contend among themselves for supreme power over all; by stealth, treachery, and deceit they did seek to rule, and of war they feared greatly and did tremble; for the Lord God had suffered the wise men of those times to learn the means by which the world itself might be destroyed [...] that men and princes might fear God and humble themselves before the Most High. But they were not humbled. And Satan spoke unto a certain prince, saying: "Fear not the use of the sword, for the wise men have deceived you in saying that the world would be destroyed thereby. Listen not to the counsel of weaklings, for they fear you exceedingly, and they serve your enemies by staying your hand against them. Strike, and know that you shall be king over all." [...] And the prince smote the cities of his enemies with the new fire, and [... o]ver each city a sun appeared and was brighter than the sun of heaven, and immediately the city withered and melted as wax under the torch, and the people thereof did stop in the streets and their skins smoked and they became as fagots thrown on the coals. [...] And a great stink went up from Earth even unto Heaven. Like unto Sodom and Gomorrah was the Earth and the ruins thereof, even in the land of that certain prince, for his enemies did not withhold their vengeance, sending fire in turn to engulf his cities as their own. The stink of the carnage was exceedingly offensive to the Lord, Who spoke unto prince, Name, saying: "WHAT BURNT OFFERING IS THIS THAT YOU HAVE PREPARED BEFORE ME? WHAT IS THIS SAVOR THAT ARISES FROM THE PLACE OF HOLOCAUST? HAVE YOU MADE ME A HOLOCAUST OF SHEEP OR GOATS, OR OFFERED A CALF UNTO GOD?" But the prince answered him not, and God said: "YOU HAVE MADE ME A HOLOCAUST OF MY SONS."

- Walter Miller, Jr. (A Canticle for Leibowitz, pages 184-185, 186, 187)

[memelibrarian10]

Forgive the shitty phone pictures but I’m extremely angry that 1 minute and like 5 seconds of nuclear war spending would forgive my student debt.

I don’t want to hear anyone complain that the US doesn’t have enough money to forgive student debt.

Article source: the Ithaca Journal, Friday June 28th edition. I can’t access it online without a subscription.

[smak-annihilation]

if there is ever a nuclear blast near my house I will open the freezer, take out the lasagna and hide in the middle until the blast is over. Then I will leave the lasagna and put it in the microwave for a few more minutes to make sure it is fully cooked trough

[ieatshardsofplastic]

having bad hair day, any tips on creating my own arms program

[offtovisityourmother]

Rike ruh roh raggy re're arout ro ret rucking ruked

[jc-lambert]

Complaint to Quik Trip

I was overcharged a dollar at the location of 3933 W 13th in Wichita Kansas.

Im the red beard & cammo pants, NRA (national riffle association) bag. The one who was kidnapped about two years ago and put under investigation by your fucking clerks. I purchased a corndog from the roller on a third shift. Your clerk was a blonde homosexual, and probably an illegal squatter in one of my houses. He's a one of THOSE buttfucking blondes with a negro pimp from the white trash corners of Kansas, yo.

If that form of stupidity ever the fuck again is within 500 miles of my ass: the nuclear goddamn weapon I still have chained to my neck is going to explode.

IS THAT UNDERFUCKING STOOD

I would rather blow your goddamn brains out than be anywhere near a Quik Trip, or Starbucks for that matter.

Do remember some people… are still unhappy they are anywhere near fiberglas, and that while your stores boast the use of the most biohazardous forms of red dye…

blondes are still unhappy its turning their hair red. You know, as in all those redheaded witches from wichita who need your sodomous pork pushing Oklahoma buttfucking help finding the correct route to the correct corner of hell….

So we will have to kill you for having my kidnappers daughter located in my house at 510 W. Funston and we will have to kill your clerk for assuming I am happy to be in America speaking English.

Id rather be in Tokyo.

[abovetopsecretxxl]

✌Recommendations for different DEFCON Alert Levels✌- NUCLEAR WAR✌

https://berndpulch.org/2024/04/20/%e2%9c%8crecommendations-for-different-defcon-alert-levels%e2%9c%8c/

[petri808]

That post you reblogged with the nuclear weapons interview, the man being interviewed is Ashley. The interviewer is a comedian portraying the character of Philomena Cunk, she does bits like this of just being wildly misinformed for comedic value.

Well that’s great to hear lol I didn’t think anyone could be that obtuse, but considering things going on in this world that’s sadly no longer so far fetched.

Using some psychological profiling to question whether a country with nuclear weapons would actually use it, the likelihood is slim to none— at least in the main powers save for North Korea who’s difficult to get a good read on with limited information. The threat of use itself is more of a “hail Mary,” meaning no one will use it because it also assures their own death, and while even though Putin is sociopathic, he’s not suicidal as far as I can read into. That said, of course, it’s impossible to say for absolute certainty because sociopaths & psychopaths actually do have suicidal tendencies when they feel like they’ve completely lost but refuse to admit it even to themselves. It’s a trait of narcissism. The worst of them historically have not committed suicide.

Anyway, so far this threat has been successfully believed by the public. Whether or not international politicos realize it’s a Hail Mary, I don’t know. If people DID realize it is a Hail Mary, then the super powers (minus N. Korea) loose their only true Trump card and the rest of the world might actually… kick them off their high horses like in the fantasy movie A Bugs Life lol.

[oldguydoesstuff]

The crazy af XB-70 "Valkyrie" six-engine, mach-3 nuclear bomber from the early 1960s. Never deployed operationally, only two were built. One collided with an F-104 wingman during a photo shoot and crashed. The other is on display at Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio.

[originalleftist]

Hello October Surprise. You are as unsurprising as you are unwelcome.

Personally, I'd be happy to see the Iranian regime destroyed, in theory. Its a vile, theocratic, misogynist, terrorist-backing ally of the Kremlin.

In practice, it would always have been too costly to justify if there was any way to avoid it, and its even more so now- the US Secretary of State confirmed back in July that Iran could probably build a nuke in 1-2 weeks:

Which means we're at the point where there is, or about to be, a war between nuclear powers here. And while I'm sure the "Anti-Zionist" fuckwits in the West are salivating at the possibility that Israel may be nuked before the end of the year, they would do well to remember that Israel has nukes as well- and that once one country uses them, others will.

I'm also viewing this in the context of the US election, as my comment about an October Surprise alluded to.

Biden is president, which means that, however unfairly, however out of his control, however against his wishes, this is, his administration will be blamed for it. Which means Vice President Harris will be blamed for it, even though she has even less control over the situation than Biden. Republicans will leap on this to pull out some vintage 9/11-era propaganda and portray her, and the entire Democrats, as pro-terrorist.

Democrats then are faced with a no-win scenario- the more they support Israel against Iran, the more Leftist, anti-war, Gender Z, Muslim, and Arab votes they will likely lose. The more they don't, the more Centrist Independent/Never Trump Republican votes they likely lose.

Some may think that the effect on the election is a trivial concern compared to the prospect of a major, potentially nuclear, war.

However, a Trump Presidency (which, given changes that have happened since he was first elected in the Republican Party and Supreme Court, particularly the Presidential Immunity Ruling and Project 2025, likely means a Trump dictatorship/collapse of the US), will fuck the entire world, in more ways than one.

I just pray enough voters are smart enough not to fall for the trap. Not to give in to fear or hate or despair, and not to surrender the world to fascism because of this news.

Anyway, I'm off to watch the VP debate. I'm sure this subject will come up, and it will be interesting to see how they handle it, and how the audience responds.

Godspeed, Governor Walz.

[apenitentialprayer]

We scientists are simple observers of this natural, average course of events. We do our share in trying to find out the "laws" which govern this world of ours. In my span of life, discoveries in the field of physics have succeeded one another so rapidly that it is hard for a layman to keep up with them: X-rays, radioactivity, cosmic rays, artificial radioactivity, atom-smashing machines. The fission of uranium led to the most terrible and destructive of all weapons — the atom bomb. Must we despair when we see that the final result of so many untiring efforts of such great scientists have led only to mass destruction? No. It is true that, in the long history of scientific progress, many inventions have been used in warfare [... But] I'm sure that the urge of self-preservation will finally convince all nations that nothing can be gained by mass destruction of others.

Victor Hess ("My Faith")

[subterraneanwatcher]

OH SHIT!

[8one6]

"Breaking News: Taco Bell's new 7-Bean Burrito meal is being pulled from menu after it's disastrous debut only hours ago in the New York market..."