3 ms·
that's very grandiose and all, but this story is true. During the Fukishima aftermath here in the USA, a series of talks was called at UC Berkeley with the publ
by mistrial9 3y ago
that's very grandiose and all, but this story is true. During the Fukishima aftermath here in the USA, a series of talks was called at UC Berkeley with the public invited. One of the talks was given by an actual nuclear weapons designer, who rarely stands in public for obvious reasons. A large, confident bearded man, he "commanded" the podium with ever more tales, speaking like that paragraph above.. Someone challenged him in some polite and meaningful way in a question, and just as he was starting to reply, people were getting uncomfortable due to the excessive air conditioning in the room -- it was hot outside but apparently the air conditioner was ON with a sensor not in the room? Someone went to check on the air conditioning exactly when the guy said "The USA has NEVER FAILED to achieve a stated objective in nuclear deterrance" or something similar, when the guy from the audience checking the thermostat said helplessly "its stuck ON, there is nothing I can do!"
it was so appropriate, had to repeat that here.. true.. and what a WEIRD collection of humanity were in the audience. Those old physics people and their kin, plus paranoids and vegans.. the lot.
- adonovan 3y agoPriceless. Thanks for sharing.
- joebob42 3y agoCan someone explain the punchline here? I'm probably just slow but I can't put it together.
- sklargh 3y agoI suspect the point is that we're trapped with the knowledge. You can't opt out of nuclear weapons.
- firesteelrain 3y agoMe neither
- mistrial9 3y agothe complex chains of armed and explosive weapons parts are supposed to be completely under control but a simple thermometer is somehow out of control and (mildly) harming everyone in the room <- obvious contradiction to "every mechanical weapon is always under control"