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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

Read Debates, a new Web-only feature culled from Readers' Opinions, published every Thursday.

rshow55 - 08:39pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11460 of 11476)

I'll be back tomorrow on "what would umpires do" - - - the question of MD11416 rshow55 2/10/02 4:12pm .. . . I've dealt with this question before a number of times - - some set out in MD11380 rshow55 2/8/02 8:18pm

In MD11376 rshow55 2/8/02 7:36pm I said that

"the need for umpires expressed in MD11326 rshow55 2/6/02 9:18pm seems very clear to me, but perhaps some of the rest of it is too harsh...

Perhaps.

Spent some time, going back and looking at times, in the past, when I've been threatened. Seems to me that getting right answers is in the national interest - - and I wonder why some other people don't think so. . . .

I think James Dao's Big Bucks Trip Up the Lean New Army http://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/10/weekinreview/10DAO.html ... today was great.

OUT.

rshow55 - 08:40pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11461 of 11476)

Not too harsh.

OUT.

gisterme - 08:45pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11462 of 11476)

"...The GI:st of the argument seems to imply that the USA's foreign-office diplomatic core ought to go to 'finishing school' Switzerland, France ...."

Don't get the connection lchic. What are you talking about?

gisterme - 08:53pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11463 of 11476)

lchic 2/10/02 8:39pm

"GI: Showalter's calculator is powered by Kryptonite - which is robust, dynamic and 'always right'!"

Ahhh. I should have guessed! But isn't Kryptonite the material that drains superman of his strength? I do think so. I've told Robert before that he should stay away from the technical issues... Didn't realize that the Kryptonite-powered calculator was the problem!

STAY AWAY FROM THAT CALCULATOR, ROBERT! IT'S GOT KRYPTONITE IN IT!

Hope that helps... :-)

gisterme - 09:01pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11464 of 11476)

rshow55 2/10/02 8:30pm

"...I continue to believe that the Bush administration's MD programs are crazy "sucker bets". "

You are entitled to your beliefs, Robert. I won't argue about that. But don't forget that these programs are not just the "Bush administration's". They've been going on for years. The Bush administration has not. It's nice to see you giving the administration so much credit even though some of it may be undue. That's very gracious of you.

gisterme - 09:20pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11465 of 11476)

lchic 2/10/02 8:37pm

"...in the period when Showalter was off the board, the board had 'monikers' .. but only two main authors - You and GI...

I've never posted to any forum under any moniker other than "gisterme". As I said, for a while there, right after you two were banned, there was very little activity on this board. I think that's because people didn't realize that the shouting had ceased. It did begin to pick up though before you two came back. As you may recall, it improved to the extent that Scott said he was happy with it again, just before he left. Remember?

"...Just in the interest of truth - which you're sometimes a tad short on :)..."

Ummm, I can't speak for Lou, but if you've got some examples of cases where I've been short on truthfulness I'd like to know. I have no recollection of any such. Why don't you just refresh my memory and make your case by pointing out an example of some dishonesty on my part, lchic? I've asked Robert to do this several times when he makes such claims. He never does.

gisterme - 09:31pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11466 of 11476)

lchic 2/10/02 8:31pm

"...REAL progress, in my view, must relate to access to knowledge and a means to actively implement it, to be used for general advancement..."

If you mean education I couldn't agree more, lchic. I've said before here that widespread ignorance within populations is a key prerequisite for the rise of evil.

"...And an informed military would support this stance..."

Informed in what way, lchic? The US military is a volunteer force with graduation from high school as a minimum educational requirement for enlistment in all branches.

mazza9 - 09:35pm Feb 10, 2002 EST (#11467 of 11476)
Louis Mazza

My name is Lou Mazza, (baptismal name Luigi). There are 78 of us in the US according to a Lou Mazza who is a photo archivist at the Minneapolis Museum of Fine Arts who contacted me recently.

I have stated that I am the President of the NSS of North Texas and have suggested if you want to know my contact info you can go to the NSS.org and search for the North Texas web site. I don't hide behind aliases!

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