Tags for this video have been changed from 'philosphers, nyc, 00s, national film board, city, astra taylor' to 'philosophers, nyc, 00s, national film board, city, astra taylor' - edited by kulpims

Feynman was brilliant. I don't doubt for a moment that he has had his own internal strife regarding his involvement in the project. Many of the scientists on the project were afflicted with a sort of tunnel vision as they focused on completing the job at hand, or felt that they had to get it done before the technology was used on them, only to later feel some version of guilt about their work. Feynman expresses his feelings about around 3:15 and goes on to say that he felt "that things were sort of doomed."

The only Manhattan Project scientist to leave the project was Józef Rotblat.

IN MARCH 1944 I experienced a disagreeable shock. At that time I was living with the Chadwicks in their house on the Mesa, before moving later to the "Big House;' the quarters for single scientists. General Leslie Groves, when visiting Los Alamos, frequently came to the Chadwicks for dinner and relaxed palaver. During one such conversation Groves said that, of course, the real purpose in making the bomb was to subdue the Soviets. [...] Remember, this was said at a time when thousands of Russians were dying every day on the Eastern Front, tying down the Germans and giving the Allies time to prepare for the landing on the continent of Europe. Until then I had thought that our work was to prevent a Nazi victory, and now I was told that the weapon we were preparing was intended for use against the people who were making extreme sacrifices for that very aim. [/reformation.org]

In the letter above, Rotblat goes on to explain that Neils Bohr shared concerns of a possible arms race between West and East, and his thoughts about why other scientists did not make the same choice to leave the project, and of accused of being a spy for the Russins after quitting the project. He was instructed speak to no one of his reasons for leaving.

Rotblat later went on to found the Pugwash Conference, with Bertrand Russell, which aimed to bring together scientists to work toward reducing the danger of (nuclear) armed conflict, and worked towards nuclear disarmament.

An excellent interview with him is over at the Vega Science Trust website:
http://vega.org.uk/video/programme/22

The National Film Board of Canada recently produced a documentary about on the work of Rotblat and the work of Pugwash. Trailer here:

http://videosift.com/video/Grant-Munro-Toys-1966-National-Film-Board-of-Canada#comment-1214268

Gotta love the National Film Board of *Canada.

National Film Board of *Alaska?

"Anybody's Son Will Do

By Bill Willers

20 April, 2010
Opednews.com

In 1983, the National Film Board of Canada produced a 57-minute film, "Anybody's Son Will Do". Arguably the best anti-war film ever made, and tailored for public television, it scared the hell out of the U.S. military machine, which has done its best to "disappear" it. For years it has been nearly impossible to find a copy, but some kind soul has posted it on YouTube where it can be seen in six segments.

The film shows the process by which young men become psychologically engineered to kill or die on command. While the model used is the U.S. Marine Corps, it's made clear that the modern techniques for creating soldiers are refined, dehumanizing and universal.

Military forces will take boys as young as the law allows, as witness African militias that, unrestrained by regulation, recruit children as young as ten. People into their twenties, having begun to think for themselves to too great a degree, tend not to be sufficiently malleable. In the U.S., recruitment below age 17 is not legal. However, as war has become ever more computerized, need is growing for tech-savvy recruits who can kill coolly and indiscriminately from great distances, as if playing video games. The military has become very good at video games.

What this leads to in the real world is exemplified by this recently publicized footage of the slaughter by U.S. military of 12 civilians. The video has been a much-needed awakening for many. But as distressing as the carnage itself is the callousness with which the people go about their work: "Alright, hahaha, I hit 'em... Nice, good shooting.... Thanks"

http://www.collateralmurder.com/

AsGlenn Greenwald has correctly declared, the tragedy of this is that it's not aberration but commonplace. What is unusual is that this particular episode was made public.

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/39266

What is also tragic is that it represents precisely what the U.S. military wants to make of recruits who will be

reeducated -- brainwashed -- to see it as manly, patriotic, heroic. And what youngsterwith percolating hormones, negligible life experience and no basis for critical thought doesn't want to be like that?

Go to http://www.americasarmy.com/ and click on "America's Army Graphic Novel" to see what age group and level of education the Pentagon is aiming for. The "novels" are 28-page comics with text bubbles over GI Joe action figures and brightly colored noise representations: "KRR-AKK", "BLAM", "RATATATAT, CHAKA CHACKA CHAK...".

And now with their arcades open to the public, the military has its foot in the door of the minds of younger children who, if asked, would likely insist they can tell the difference between video games and reality.

click here

As for "Anyone's Son Will Do", DVDs of it should be in every junior high and high school in the country. Parent-teacher associations should have screenings. With any luck, it might get us headed toward a day when a common sight will be bumper stickers "Support Our Peace Makers".
Bill Willers is emeritus professor of biology, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh now living in Middleton, WI. He is founder of Superior Wilderness Action Network (SWAN) and editor of Learning to Listen to the Land and Unmanaged Landscapes, both from Island Press. He posts occasionally online at OpEdNews, Common Dreams, Counterpunch and Dissident Voice."
http://www.countercurrents.org/willers200410.htm

Tags for this video have been changed from 'carts, shopping carts, homeless, men, extreme sport, racing, national film board, nfb' to 'shopping carts, homeless, men, binners, extreme sport, racing, national film board, nfb' - edited by calvados

This is great. http://www.videosift.com/video/Sleeping-Betty-Canadian-National-Film-Board-short

Tags for this video have been changed from 'animation, larkin, montreal, 1969, NFB, national film board of canada, oscar' to 'Larkin, Ryan Larkin, Montreal, 1968, NFB, National Film Board of Canada, Oscar' - edited by notarobot

It was lot harder to pick one sifted and one pqueued video than I thought it would be. And I wasn't even trying to pick any favorites (which these are not), just a couple I thought worthy of mention. I decided to go with a theme - obscure and great animation videos that didn't get nearly enough attention.

Sifted: http://www.videosift.com/video/La-Faim-Hunger
A very cool animation about gluttony, from the National Film Board of Canada.

PQueued: http://www.videosift.com/video/Crow-Moon
I can't think of anything to write about this except that I love it and you all should watch it.

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*dead damn you
This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by National Film Board of Canada

Tags for this video have been changed from 'animation, larkin, montreal, 1969' to 'animation, larkin, montreal, 1969, NFB, national film board of canada, oscar' - edited by fissionchips

>> ^ReverendTed:
Um..."Boards of Canada" isn't Canadian - it's a Scottish duo.

Their music is largely sampled from the National Film Board of Canada's catalogue, hence their name.

Tags for this video have been changed from 'log drivers waltz, national film board of canada, logs, whitewater' to 'log drivers waltz, national film board of canada, nfb, logs, whitewater' - edited by calvados