OPPENHEIMER: Father of the Atomic Bomb

The Russian War in Ukraine has re-aroused the fear of a nuclear holocaust.  The closest humanity has been to extinction was the prospect of a similar horror through much of the Cold War.  Two J. Robert Oppenheimer productions will shake you out of your comfort zone.  It's actually worse because he is only the Father of the Atomic Bomb.  He had a feud with Edward Teller, Father of the Hydrogen Bomb.

MSNBC had a documentary last night:  To End All War:  Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb, featuring a number of comments by Christopher Nolan, whose film, Oppenheimer, will be released on July 21.  This movie is rated R and will be 3 hours long, with a glowing cast:  Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt as his wife, Matt Damon as General Leslie Groves, who ran the Manhattan Project, Robert Downey, who eventually became Oppie's nemesis, Kenneth Branagh, Florence Puch, as O's girlfriend/mistress, Gary Oldman, Josh Hartnett, Rami Malek, Matthew Modine, and others.

Solzy at the Movies said:  

“He was obviously a very, very brilliant man but I think he may have underestimated the power of the establishment–the machine–and the inability of one individual to stand against that,” says Christopher Nolan, the director of Universal’s upcoming Oppenheimer due out in theaters on July 21. “Unquestionably, he changed the world and he changed the world forever. There’s no going back.”

Oppenheimer had two visible opponents after he won World War II for the West.

• He gained a higher conscious, and wanted to end nuclear proliferation.  Was then director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
• Lewis Strauss (right) was chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and was tasked to enhance nuclear capability.  Taking advantage of Senator Joseph McCarthy's investigation about communism in 1953 and 1954, flimsy evidence was used to discredit Oppenheimer.
• Edward Teller, his Manhattan colleague, wanted to build the Hydrogen Bomb, and Oppenheimer was preventing him.

The scientist’s role in history was reassessed in late 2022 as the Department of Energy vacated their McCarthy-era hearings, clearing him of a “Black Mark.” The hearings were what led to his security clearance being revoked. It’s a shame that Oppenheimer never lived to see this, having died from cancer in 1967 at the age of 62. However, it also speaks to the darkest witch hunt in American history. The 1940s and 50s were a very different time in America as World War II soon gave birth to the Cold War. Even before WWII, many politicians viewed communism, not Nazism, as a grave threat to America. If you want to learn more, read Hitler in Los Angeles.

The biggest news today comes from Europe.  Turkey had been holding up Sweden joining NATO, but today opened the door for approval after they got a major concession...an okay for Turkey to join the European Union.  Thus, the West will show solidarity and progress on the eve of their NATO summit in Lithuania.  Sweden has been waiting a year, while Turkey finally succeeded after half a century.  Here, Turkey President Recep Erdogan shaking hands with Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in the middle.

I'll close with three meals this week and some sports news.  A Luau, Japanese Wagyu Beef and Ahi Sashimi meal and Philly Cheese Steak sandwich, while watching the Women's Open from Pebble Beach.

Allisen Corpuz of Hawaii won the biggest women's prize in golf with a 3 stroke margin, and got $2 million, plus fame for life.

In the ongoing Major League Baseball Draft, LSU players were picked #1 and #2, the first time ever from the same team, plus, three more team mates in rounds 2 and 3.  LSU won the college world series this year.

1	Pirates
Paul Skenes, P, LSU: Skenes is an imposing figure with upper-90s velocity and a strikeout rate near 48% against SEC hitters. Those within the industry are convinced that ball-tracking data has improved their ability to evaluate pitches. Those advancements have made Skenes a divisive figure, with scouts and analysts who spoke to CBS Sports expressing reservations about his fastball shape. The short version is that his four-seamer features minimal separation between its induced vertical break and its horizontal break, putting it in the "dead zone." The fear is Skenes' four-seamer will play down as a result, causing him to underperform draft night expectations. Consider Nathan Eovaldi, another big-armed righty with minimal separation; prior to this year, opponents had hit .300 or better against his fastball in three consecutive seasons. Skenes' velocity may mitigate some of the effect, and it's possible his employer will help him find a better shape, or will have him shift to his sinker (his current one features more run than Dustin May's).
2	Nationals
Dylan Crews, OF, LSU: Crews spent the spring reinforcing pitchers' mortality in other ways by slashing .405/.545/.685 with more walks than strikeouts in SEC play. He hits the ball hard and often, as you would expect, and he commands the strike zone. Some evaluators believe he could develop 70-grade hit and power tools, a (likely overzealous) projection that would make him an elite batter. He should begin his professional career in center field, too, even if he moves to a corner before reaching the majors. A veteran scout told CBS Sports in the spring that Crews was the most obvious top pick since Bryce Harper in 2010. Nothing has happened since to change that outlook.

The Major League Baseball Home Run Derby will be held at 8PM EDT tonight, or 2PM Hawaii time.

• Alonso: +300 (25% chance)
• Guerrero Jr.: +450 (18%)
• Robert: +500
• Rodríguez: +550
• García: +600
• Betts: +900
• Arozarena: +900
• Rutschman: +1600 (6%)

Finally a vision from last night, as Dua Lipa went skimpy at the Barbie premiere.

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