Dwight D. Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace

President Dwight D. Eisenhower stood before the United Nations Assembly on December 8, 1953 to deliver an important message:  the atomic bomb, which had first been detonated by the United States in 1945, was no longer an American secret.  Canada and the United Kingdom both knew the secret.  Even the Soviet Union now knew the secret.  In fact, the United States and the Soviet Union were starting to stockpile their atomic weapons at an alarming rate.  In the space of only eight years, atomic energy had gone from a limited to an unlimited quantity.  The two countries had the capability of wiping each other off the face of the earth.  President Eisenhower pleaded with the nations represented at the United Nations to think about ways to cut back on their atomic weapons; to think about constructive ways to use atomic energy.  President Eisenhower goes on to mention the problems the world faces:  a divided Germany and a divided Korea.  He calls for a "free intermingling" between East and West in Europe.  He calls also for a rapprochement between the United States and the Soviet Union.  Here is an excerpt from President Eisenhower's speech:

"On July 16, 1945, the united States set off the world's first atomic explosion.  Since that date in 1945, the United States of America has conducted forty two test explosions.  Atomic bombs today are more than twenty five times as powerful as the weapons with which the atomic age dawned, while hydrogen weapons are in the ranges of millions of tons of TNT equivalent.  Today, the United States stockpile of atomic weapons, which of course increases daily, exceeds by many times the total equivalent of the total of all bombs and all shells that came from every plane in every theatre of war in the all the years of World War II.

The United States would be more than willing -- it would be proud to take up with others principally involved the development of plans whereby such peaceful use of atomic energy would be expedited.

The coming months will be fraught with fateful decisions.  In this Assembly, in the capitals and military headquarters of the world, in the hearts of men everywhere, be they governed or governors, may they be the decisions which will lead this world out of fear and into peace." (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/dwightdeisenhoweratomsforpeace.html)

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Dwight-D-Eisenhower/images-videos/Dwight-D-Eisenhower-delivering-his-Atoms-for-Peace-speech-to/120679

Pippi, A Witch and a Butterfly

Jacqueline invited two school friends over tonight.  Rob picked them all up at school.  I had the table set when they arrived with Halloween plates and cups.  They munched on white cheddar chipotle popcorn and drank lemonade, chatting all the while.  You could just feel the excitement;  this is Ashley's first Halloween since she is from Korea, and Joanna's second Halloween since she lives out in the country.

We ate sloppy Joe's and salad for supper.  Then the girls put on their costumes.  Jacqueline's butterfly was easy to put on:  a pink and black dress with wings.  Ashley's witch costume was simply a dress and a black hat.  Joanna's, however, was a little bit more difficult:  she brought jeans, a checkered shirt and a wire hangar which she held behind her head while Ashley braided her hair around it.  She was Pippi Longstocking.  Rob reminded me about how he wrote a short story in Grade 4 called "Pippi Longstocking Fights the Germans".  I asked who won the fight and Rob said Pippi.  I didn't realize she had supernatural strength.

So, Pippi, the witch and the butterfly headed out to trick or treat with Rob.  I stayed home and handed out candy.  Normally I buy two big boxes of chocolate bars because we have close to 200 kids.  But the past few years, the numbers have waned.  so this year I only bought one big box and I still had bars left over.  Likely the rain held some people back.  It was nice to see some unique costumes.  The prize for creativity went to Eddy Munster.  I didn't think kids knew who he was anymore.

An hour or so later, the girls returned, their bags loaded down with treats.  They emptied the contents on the living room floor, their faces lit up in anticipation.  Then they proceeded to trade certain items. It was exciting to see Jacqueline's friends soak it all in.  After all, what is old hat for Jacqueline is not for her friends.  Just after 8 o'clock, I closed the front door, shut off the light and called it a night. The three girls changed out of their costumes.  Rob headed to the gym.  And I headed downstairs to the computer.  Happy Halloween!

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